As the tastes and preferences of consumers update and change, so these demands drive strong change in the the food world. Food trends play a significant role in shaping shopper mealtimes and the way they approach cooking.
This article explains how recipes drive consumer purchases and why a recipe strategy is so powerful. We'll explain recipe trends, their influences, and why they should matter to you if you work in FMCG land.
Do You Truly Know How Consumers Use Your Product?
Do you really know how your product is used after purchase? Is your bacon eaten for breakfast or used in a pasta dish for dinner? Are your eggs being bought for carbonara or cocktails? If you don’t yet know this information you are not alone. It’s a common FMCG blindspot and we have some exciting insights to give you this understanding.
How Recipes Drive Consumer Purchases 🍽️
When making a meal, people usually choose a recipe that matches their taste, diet, and cooking abilities. This meal choice then drives product purchase, as consumers seek out specific products to bring their recipe to life. This link between planning meals and product purchase shows the need for a strong recipe plan to boost your FMCG sales.
The Power of a Recipe Strategy 📝
A recipe strategy plans a range of meals that educate shoppers on how to use your product. Within this strategy you can aim to:
- Showcase your product in popular and frequently cooked recipes for your shoppers. This will make your SKU a must-have item in the kitchen, increasing your purchase frequency and boosting your sales.
- Communicate recipes that inspire customers to try your product in new ways. This not only promotes loyalty through usage, but also increases the occasions when shoppers consume your product.
Understanding Recipe Trends
Recipe trends are the popular meal ideas, cooking techniques, or ingredients that capture the attention of consumers. These trends can range from traditional dishes (Mum’s lamb roast anyone?!) to the emergence of innovative methods and ingredient combos (Big Mac Smashed Taco’s for the win!).
Factors Influencing Food Trends
The speed of trend cycles is increasing, and food trends are no different. Popular recipes now move at lightning speed and a variety of factors influence them:
- Global Cuisine Fusion 🌍: The mixture of different traditions brings exciting new flavours and cooking techniques for shoppers to try.
- Health and Wellness Consciousness 💪: The increase in dietary ingredients, eating healthily, and provenance has a significant impact on food trends.
- Social Media and Influencers 👥: Platforms such as TikTok and Instagram have become powerful platforms for showcasing food trends and inspiring cooking at home. Historically food trends were often driven from restaurants, though Social Media has flipped this on it’s head, with consumers now able to drive trends themselves.
- Convenience and Time Constraints ⏰: In today's fast-paced world, quick and easy recipes that require minimal preparation and cooking time are in high demand.
- Environmental Awareness 🌱: Sustainability and ethical practices are becoming more important to consumers, leading to an increased demand for plant-based, locally sourced, and eco-friendly recipes.
Appetise: A Place of Recipe Discovery for Consumers
Our mission at Appetise is to improve the world of food. Our recipe discovery platform provides 2000+ recipes so consumers can "get more from their meals". These dishes are made by our recipe expert Helen Jackson, who has been working in the food industry for more than 20 years.
Our Recipe Trend insights give you a glimpse into what your shoppers are cooking. We can provide data on the recipe popularity for all meals in the Appetise platform, your category, your shoppers, and utilising your products.
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So How Can You Use These Insights In Your Business?
Marketers 📣
Supercharge your recipe strategy by understanding which dishes are currently popular for your shoppers and the wider Appetise community. You can also analyse emerging food trends, ensuring you create NPD, range extensions and product collabs tailored to consumer demand.
Category Managers 🛒
Make informed decisions about new product development, range extensions, and limited time offerings based on our recipe trend data. These insights can drive data-based conversations in Category Reviews, Range Reviews, NPD Sell Ins and Continuity Campaign Planning.
Unlocking FMCG Success with Recipes & Food Trends 🔐
Understanding how consumers use your products after they leave the supermarket helps you develop hyper-targeted marketing strategies, gives direction for future NPD, and informs commercial conversations with your customers. If we’re not partners yet we’d love to hear from you, just get in touch with our Partnerships Team today.
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