Whether it’s hospitality catering for guests or choices for visitors at the venue, as any event organisers will tell you, it can potentially make or break any occasion. That’s because it’s no longer just about keeping people fed - it’s a part of the event experience.
Last month, Excel London played host to the International Food & Drink Event where the latest produce and innovations were being showcased, and the perfect opportunity to discover the top trends affecting the events industry right now. So, should you be serving your guests avocado or zucchini? Let’s find out…
Believe it or not but nostalgic flavours – including sweetshop favourites like rhubarb and custard – are tipped for a comeback in 2022. These are continuing to grow in popularity, with people looking for taste combinations offering a sense of fun and escapism in a post-pandemic world.
The low and no-alcohol market is booming with consumption expected to grow 31% by 2024. Indeed, almost one in three UK drinkers now regularly consume such products, compared to one in four in 2020. Whilst this category may still be relatively small in comparison, it's proving an increasingly popular one.
Consumers are increasingly looking for better and better produce when making their F&B selections. The younger generations in particular are especially environmentally conscious, and this continues to have a big influence on what is served in the sector. Furthermore, plant-based ingredients, such as coconut, sunflower and rapeseed oils, which are usually fortified with vitamins, are gaining increasing traction.
Linked to number three, it might shock you to know but plant-based diets have increased a staggering 300% in the last 15 years. Consumers have become more health and environmentally conscious leading to a steep rise in such products. Plant-based proteins and dairy alternatives are easily some of the most popular alternatives, and these options will continue to be at the forefront of menus in 2022 and beyond.
With good reason, an increasingly number of us view sustainability as an ever-important topic both in our personal and business lives. Understandably, this eco-conscious awareness extends to our food and drink choices. Using seasonal, local produce is almost a given now, so the key trend for 2022 is going a step further. Those gaining support are products which require less energy to produce, can be made with a reduced water consumption or use far less plastic packaging.
