Food a nd drink report - the era of the mindful consumer - John Lewis Partnership
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Foo d
A nd
D rink
Re po rt
the er a of the
mindful consumer
THE Mindful This year’s
go i n g u p
W h at le d t h e way i n 20 18
Con s u m er social media
headliners
JACKFRUIT
Grown in South East
Asia, Brazil and Africa,
this sweet but sour fruit
SOURDOUGH
Boosted by the
ever-growing popularity
of brunch, sales of
Our wellbeing and that of our environment have a huge Among the most-liked photos
(pictured below) is now
found in burgers and
sourdough loaves have
soared by a third.
influence on the way we shop today. It’s redefining how we live, from Waitrose & Partners’ tacos. It’s also a popular
according to the latest research from Waitrose & Partners Instagram feed were… vegetarian substitute
for pulled pork.
AQUAFABA
The viscous quality of
1. Fluffy jacket potatoes 1 chickpea water makes
2. Sticky garlic and chilli prawns MISO it an excellent egg
A consumer revolution is quietly taking place. You won’t see people 3. Strawberry and rose layer cake Sales of white miso replacement in vegan
shouting about it in the shopping aisles, but it’s happening nonetheless. As we paste are up 28%, as meringues or mousse.
it’s increasingly used It’s now mainstream
become increasingly mindful of our own health, the wellbeing of our family and in non-Japanese dishes enough to have made
that of the planet, we’re reshaping how we shop, cook and eat. Welcome to the (miso-glazed parsnips, it into the Scrabble
for instance) to add a dictionary (22 points).
era of the mindful consumer. distinctive savoury taste.
The driving force behind this movement, as our research uncovered, is APPLE CIDER
TURNIPS VINEGAR
a desire to look after ourselves and our environment. Just how much this
An upturn for the Once the preserve
consciousness is taking hold was borne out by the incredible reaction to the turnip: the humble of salad dressings,
final episode of BBC One’s Blue Planet II, a rallying call to tackle the plastic vegetable is appearing the purported health
in everything from benefits and trend for
waste in our oceans. The mindful movement marks a subtle shift in how we gratin to vegetarian fermented foods have
live, based on the acknowledgement that our natural resources are precious. meatballs and mash. seen sales rise 60%
‘Being mindful this year.
We also worry about our personal resources, such as time – or rather the
of how we live CRISPY
lack of it. Nearly 70% of us feel that the pressures of modern life have CHICKEN SKIN HERBS IN PUDDINGS
and eat has Delicious to dip, or Fancy some lemon
increased over the past five years. Close to half are working longer hours,
become a priority when served as a thyme mousse? Or
and around four in 10 regularly check work emails in personal time. We canapé. People have also tonka bean and thyme
in today’s world’ been whipping it into panna cotta? Pass
manage the relentless pace by taking care of ourselves as best we can, eating
2 butter and crumbling it the spoon, please.
ro b c o l l i n s
more nutritious, less heavy foods, and making an effort to stay hydrated. over seafood.
Partner & Managing Director,
Waitrose & Partners At Waitrose & Partners, we’re helping customers in every way we can. KEFIR
MODERN MEXICAN This naturally fermented
We’re facilitating the move towards healthier, lighter evening meals with Fresh, zingy Mexican drink, similar to yogurt,
our Beautifully Simple range of ingredients, and we’re reducing plastic waste, food has rocketed in has long been consumed
3 popularity. The taco in mainland Europe. UK
focusing on removing single-use plastic from packaging across our ranges.
is the new sandwich, sales have almost tripled
There’s more to come: we’re constantly improving our ranges to cater for don’t you know. this year.
all dietary needs and preferences as increasing numbers of people adopt
flexitarian, vegetarian and vegan diets.
But despite the general move towards lighter eating during the week, the
traditional weekend meal remains sacrosanct. Our research has identified
The facts & figures
that our love of the Sunday roast remains strong. It’s as if modern-day Waitrose & Partners carried out extensive research All figures are
pressures and uncertainties have only reinforced just how much we love into the top food and drink trends in 2018. compared with
We conducted OnePoll consumer research on the same period the
this comforting British institution, and we’re here to help celebrate it. a wide range of topics with 2,000 people of all ages previous year, unless
I hope you enjoy the Waitrose & Partners Food and Drink Report 2018-19. — not exclusively Waitrose & Partners customers. otherwise stated.
This was supported by focus groups in which people
were asked in-depth questions about their shopping, For further
cooking and eating habits. Some of the focus group information, please
participants share their views with us in this report. contact the
Our research supports insights from our own food, Waitrose & partners
drink and retail partners. It is backed up with sales Press Office on
data from millions of purchases throughout the year. 01344 825 080.
Waitrose & Partners Food and Drink report 3
2 Waitrose & Partners Food and Drink report
Tr e nd # 1
60%
TREND #2
Th e War of us are now
The New York Day
o n Pl a stic
more likely to use Life is getting busier, and many people are
a refillable now adopting what’s known – in a nod to the city that
water bottle* never sleeps – as the ‘New York day’. That is, we’re
getting up earlier to make better use of our time.
67% Six in 10 of us rise early to create some ‘me time’
88%
It was the scene that changed everything: albatross parents or do chores. There’s been a surge in people
QUOTES AND STATS
of women
unwittingly feeding their chicks plastic in the final episode of BBC exercising before work, and in the popularity of
One’s Blue Planet II. Our research found that 88% of those who 54% early-morning slots for waitrose.com deliveries.
watched the programme have altered their behaviour as a result. of men All of this extra activity at the start of the day
Since the episode aired at the end of 2017, our customer may be due to the fact that, once we get to the office,
services team has seen an 800% increase in questions about
of us have changed how 74% work takes over. In our research we found nearly
plastic. A new era of environmentalism has taken hold, and we use plastics after of welsh 70% of people feel more pressured than they did
attitudes towards single-use bags, disposable plastic straws and viewing the final episode five years ago. Almost half of us are working longer
58%
packaging will never be the same. of Blue planet of northern irish
hours, and 54% have less ‘me time’.
Our research revealed that more than 60% of people use This also has an impact on the rest of our day:
reusable water bottles more often than they did in 2017 – and 100% 15% of early risers now have an extra breakfast
this figure rises to over 70% among those aged 18-24. From the somewhat of love island to get through those longer mornings, while
Houses of Parliament, which announced a ban on single-use changed contestants almost a third are eating dinner earlier.
plastics in May, to Love Island – the TV show’s legendary bottles
became summer’s hottest accessory – refillable bottles are 44% And after that early start and a busy working
day, it’s surely no surprise that half of us now go
becoming commonplace. Sales of Waitrose & Partners bottles to bed earlier than we used to.
are up 24% and, according to our research, 60% of us now more drastically
regularly hand over a reusable cup when buying a takeaway changed
coffee since watching Blue Planet.
Customers are increasingly purchasing unpackaged fruit and
vegetables in our stores, too. For example, sales of loose pears
44% ‘Simple food is the perfect antidote to
a busy life. We’re seeing demand for easy
QUOTES AND STATS
are growing at 30 times the rate of bagged pears, and we expect recipes with great ingredients, whether
We received 30,000 questions
this trend to continue.
and posts about plastic on
didn’t for a filling breakfast or a no-fuss dinner.’
‘We’ve seen a big shift in consumer behaviour,’ says Natalie change
@waitrose Twitter in the six
Mitchell, Head of Brand Development & Product Innovation at months after the final 12% a l i s o n o a k e rv e e
66%
Waitrose & Partners. ‘Previously, customers wanted to know Partner & Food Editor
episode of Blue Planet II – a
that we were taking care of things, but 16-fold increase on last year.
now they get actively involved.’
The facts about plastic pollution are ‘ Previo usly, 25% of us exercise more
in the mornings than we
as shocking as they are disheartening. custome r s ‘We’ve seen a real turning point used to, rising to 40% among
of 18-24 year-olds
Around one million disposable carrier wa nte d to in attitudes towards plastics and 18-24 year-olds
are now more
bags are used every minute around the know w e w e re packaging waste. There’s been a likely to opt for
globe and, left unchecked, the plastic in
our oceans will outweigh fish by 2050,
ta king c a re
of thi ng s, b ut
significant and genuine change
in behaviour.’
a reusable coffee
cup when out
60% of us get up
earlier than we used to
according to the World Economic Forum. now t h e y
– and 56% of 35-44
At Waitrose & Partners, we’ve already get ac t i v e ly To r H a r r i s
taken action – with more to come. We will
be the first nationwide supermarket to
involv e d’ Partner & Head of Corporate
Social Responsibility
year-olds
54% of people feel that
they now have less ‘me time’
replace plastic bags for loose fruit and veg
34%
with a home compostable alternative. We’ll also remove 5p ‘Refillable water bottles are
single-use plastic carrier bags. Both changes will take place in agree that life is less
everywhere – you see people routine-driven than previously
all shops by spring 2019 and are predicted to save 134 million
plastic bags (the equivalent of 500 tonnes of plastic) a year.
with them in meetings, on trains
Since 2009, we’ve cut our packaging by nearly 50%, and by the or walking down the street. ‘I get up at 5am, shower, wash
Whether it’s about caring for
*since watching Blue Planet
end of this year we’ll have stopped using black plastic packaging
my hair… I’m in work by 6.20am.
for all fruit and vegetables. In September, we stopped selling the environment or staying
disposable plastic drinking straws, replacing them with paper or hydrated, the result is the same. If there’s something I need to do,
reusable alternatives. Disposable takeaway coffee cups have It feels good and does you good.’ I just get up and go.’
been removed from in-store coffee stations, too – saving more joanna, one of our survey respondents
than 52 million cups a year. It’s a cause we can all get behind. MOIRA HO W IE
Partner & Nutrition & Health Manager
Waitrose & Partners Food and Drink report 5
4 Waitrose & Partners Food and Drink report
Tren d # 3
33.5%
Mushroom and
Gruyère burger with TREND #4
T he n ew
sweetcorn salsa
avoiding the
of the population are ‘food hangover’
vege tarian
cutting down on –
or cutting out – meat
A faster pace of life has resulted in a change
21% in our relationship with food. Quantity is out and
r evo lution are flexitarian quality is in. For decades ‘feeling full’ after a meal
was an aspiration, particularly in the post-war
9.5% years. But today, 60% of people find this attitude
are vegetarian outdated. They don’t want to feel sluggish and
would rather eat smarter to feel healthier.
One in eight Brits – or almost 13% of the population – 3% Views of healthy recipes on waitrose.com have
is now vegetarian or vegan, with a further 21% identifying as are vegan risen by 158%, and visits to our online BMI
QUOTES AND STATS
‘flexitarian’, according to our research. This means that a third calculator have increased by 104%. Meanwhile,
of us now have meat-free or meat-reduced diets. In many cases, searches for advice and products including the
these are lifestyle choices that have been adopted over the past more than half of those word ‘healthy’ have risen by 87%.
five years, reflecting the new mindfulness with which people are describing themselves as ‘Customers tell us the most useful things we can
living their lives. 'vegetarian or vegan' do to help them with good choices are making
But attitudes about what it means to be vegetarian or vegan are do sometimes eat meat… healthy food convenient and easy, and providing
changing, too, with some people taking an increasingly pragmatic recipe ideas,’ says Jane Orchard, Partner &
approach. There was a time when choosing a plant-based diet was Occasionally Manager, Store Innovation. So this year, Waitrose
about taking an ethical stand based on unwavering principles. For 21% & Partners launched a range of three-step recipes
many, this distinction between vegetarians and meat-eaters still called Beautifully Simple. Almost 90% of shoppers
exists – but for others, the lines have blurred. Not only does one who bought recipe ingredients returned for more.
Briton in five identify as ‘flexitarian’ (semi-vegetarian), but half Consuming lighter meals means drinking less
of all those who say they’re vegetarian or vegan also eat meat i Never alcohol, too, with nearly half of shoppers avoiding
60%
‘at weekends’, ‘occasionally’ or ‘on special eat meat it entirely on weekdays. But we’re keeping our
occasions’. ‘Vegetarianism has grown and peopl e a re o n 40% At fluids up – around two thirds of us say staying
evolved – people dip in and out of it,’ says the loo ko u t weekends hydrated is more important than ever before.
Jonathan Moore, Waitrose & Partners’ for so m e th i ng 20% Our research found that 60% of respondents
Executive Chef. new o r resist the urge to eat on the run; they're now more
People are looking for meat-free of vegans and 40% likely to sit down to enjoy their meals mindfully.
differe nt of vegetarians have
inspiration throughout the week. Our when i t co m e s For instance, breakfast is becoming an event again,
‘midweek meals’ recipes in Waitrose & adopted the lifestyle rather than a 'grab-and-go' meal. Sales of low-sugar
to vege ta b l e s, over the past five years
Partners’ Weekend newspaper now with t he ‘More restaurants are offering There has been If there's granola and muesli ranges are up by 27% this year.
include at least two vegetarian dishes. plant-based dishes. This is the a 114% increase no other
emp ha s i s o n in mentions of option 5%
On special
Searches for vegan and veggie barbecue
recipes on waitrose.com rose by 350% over
fl avou r a nd first year we’ve highlighted vegan
menus in The Good Food Guide
vegan food Why have you become
occasions 8%
29% of us eat lighter meals in the
QUOTES AND STATS
textur e and cooking None of
the summer, with beetroot burgers and vegetarian or vegan?* the above 6% evening to avoid a ‘food hangover’
– we’ve got an impressive 107.’ on @waitrose
celeriac steaks topping the bill. This year, Waitrose & Partners Twitter – that’s 55% Animal-welfare Concerns
65%
launched vegan sections in 134 stores. Our Cookery Schools ran a m b e r da lto n
more than 22,000 45% It’s healthier for me say that staying hydrated
25%
twice as many vegetarian cooking courses as in previous years, Partner & Editor of The Good Food Guide mentions 38% Environmental concerns is more important to them than it
with new courses including the Vegan Christmas Dinner.
33% I don’t like meat of our 'milks' used to be
Choosing a no- or low-meat lifestyle doesn’t mean missing out ‘Because vegetables are taking In May, Waitrose & 24% The food tastes better
on time-honoured kitchen rituals. Today, we prepare and cook partners launched range is now made up
centre stage, they need to have 2% It’s fashionable
vegetables with the same care and attention we pay to meat and
fish. Plant-based dining is reaching new heights, and not just in
the wow factor. We’re seeing
the first dedicated
vegan section in
of non-dairy options
47% avoid alcohol during
the week, rising to 55% among
soaring demand for interesting a supermarket. The biggest areas
our homes and shops: for the first time, this year’s The Good Food Do you ever miss of growth are: 18-24 year-olds
Guide by Waitrose & Partners is highlighting restaurants with
flavours and textures, so we’re the vegan and
eating any of the
* Respondents could choose more
constantly trying to find the vegetarian range
specifically vegan menus.
has also grown by following?* +116% ‘More of us are now recognising the
next big ingredient.’ oat milk
‘This year, we’ve seen vegan food go mainstream.
Whether cooking at home, buying prepared food
a n d r e w a l l c h u rc h 60% 41% Sunday roast
32% Bacon sandwich +60%
importance of eating mindfully. It’s about
enjoying food rather than just refuelling;
than one option
Partner & Head of Fresh Produce Buying
or trying the many newly vegan-friendly restaurants, 29% Sausages coconut milk eating more slowly to aid digestion, and
18% Burgers
people are discovering that it tastes amazing.’ 12% Chicken +26% taking time to recharge mental batteries.’
N ata l i e M i tc h e l l 11% Pork scratchings almond milk
M OIRA HO W IE
Partner & Head of Brand Development Partner & Nutrition & Health Manager
Waitrose & Partners Food and Drink report 7
6 Waitrose & Partners Food and Drink report
w h at w e’ re mix ing
it u p
go i n g u p
d rinking
2018’s top tipples
uk co ckta i l Mezcal designed to mix with
t r e n ds The ‘parent spirit’ soda water, so you get
to tequila. But while to control the quinine
Adventure was the byword for 2018, with an eagerness the latter is made flavour of your G&T.
to try something new – both at home and at the bar
13%
of us own specifically from blue
a spirits agave from a few Half bottles
measure, specific areas, mezcal Ideal to enjoy midweek,
showing either a is produced all over small bottles of wine
responsible approach Mexico from many have seen a surge in
Pie r pao lo’ s d ri nks T REND # 1 to measuring our more types of agave. popularity.
drinks, or a
Embr acing the new professional
It’s today’s hip spirit.
approach to Mocktail magic
It’s an exciting time to water and all-natural citrus cocktail mixing Greek wine Soft drinks are having a
explore the drinks aisle or to try botanicals – has proved a – or both Red wine made from moment, as well-known
a new bar. There’s a real spirit of popular new apéritif. the Greek Xinomavro brands introduce more
invention, with unusual or We’re also seeing brewers One in five grape lends itself to non-alcoholic options
brand new products coming to launch increasingly interesting brits owns a being slightly chilled. for mocktails.
the fore. We’re bolder with our and off-the-wall flavours in cocktail shaker Low in tannins, it’s soft,
choices and don’t feel the need their craft beers and lagers. and one in fruity and pairs well Flavoured gins
eight has an
to conform to a certain way of People are definitely ready to with rich food. The nation’s favourite
ice bucket
enjoying our favourite tipples. embrace the new, which means spirit continues to thrive,
Ice lollies made from we’ll be seeing more of this Classy cider with subtly flavoured
Provençal rosé are just one bravery on our shelves. Cider’s gone posh, gins including honey,
example of this trend for
british favourites with the introduction pink grapefruit and
discovery. The ‘frosé’ ice to order out: to mix of 75cl bottles and Seville orange – along
popsicle embodies the sense of piña colada at home: production processes with a citrus sherbet
fun that shoppers are craving, mojito usually reserved for gin from Heston
and proved a huge hit in Champagne – such Blumenthal.
Waitrose & Partners stores over as underground ageing.
the summer. Consumers are Frosé
certainly ready to experiment. Canned wine …aka frozen rosé.
Pedrino – a blend of Pedro Look out in store for Online searches for
Ximénez sherry, bitter tonic two new organic wines ‘frosé’ have increased
(a rosé and a Shiraz) seven-fold since July
‘People are ready from Château Maris 2016, and visits to the
Pie r pao lo’ s d ri nks T REND #2 in recyclable, easy-to- frosé recipe page on
to discover the new,
transport cans. waitrose.com have
the interesting and R aising a gl a ss to We’re bolder increased by 250%
the different’ organic wine with our French and compared with this
cho i c e s a n d cocktails made English fizz time last year.
PIERPAOLO PETRASSI m w Sales of organic wine buying organic wines because don’t feel The Champagne served
at home – by age
Partner & Head of Beers, Wines, have increased by 53% they’re good. t h e n e e d to at Harry and Meghan’s
Spirits & Soft Drinks year-on-year. The Waitrose & Today, winemakers think co n f o r m to nuptials, Pol Roger
18-24 year-olds:
Partners range now includes 54 about the degree to which they a ce rta i n way mojito Réserve NV, saw an
wines from 18 different regions, intervene in their vineyards o f e n j oy i n g uplift in sales after
and is set to grow further. more than they used to. If they 25-34 year-olds: the big event in May.
o ur favo u r i t e
A few years ago, if you were can find a way to grow grapes piña colada English bubbly also
t i ppl e s
offered an organic version of a organically, creating a product did particularly well.
35-44 year-olds:
drink, you’d expect an element that’s as good value and as good
Photography: Dennis Pedersen
mojito
of compromise. Maybe you’d quality as non-organic wine Tonic syrup
find the taste a bit rustic, or the – and in some cases even more 45-54 year-olds: The next level of
price would make you think flavoursome – then what’s not mojito personalisation for
twice. This is no longer the case. to like? cocktails, tonic syrup is
It’s now impossible to taste two From drinkers to vintners, 55 years and over:
wines and say ‘this one’s organic it’s time to give organic options bloody mary
and this one isn’t’. People are serious consideration.
Waitrose & Partners Food and Drink report 9
8 Waitrose & Partners Food and Drink report
T h e Great British Scotland
While the rest of
the UK prefer their
roa st revie w
Sunday roasts at
lunchtime, Scots Scotland
prefer theirs on Loved-up Scots are more
Sunday evening likely than anyone else in
the UK to say their partner
Eating lighter meals midweek is all well and good, but when it comes to the weekend, the makes the best roast
Sunday roast still tops the menu. It seems we just can’t get enough of this British institution
Chicken is the nation’s favourite roast, followed What do you like North East
by beef, then lamb. ‘How to cook roast beef’ is the most popular most about a roast? One in 10 people here
voice-searched term on our website. But our research also likes brown sauce with
their roast – more than
revealed that the meal’s centrepiece is a secondary concern: Brits
are twice as likely to choose roast potatoes as their favourite part 47% 5% It’s a North West twice the rest of the UK
The food relaxing time respondents here feel the
of the meal than they are to say they like the meat the best.
most strongly that gravy
Roasts are all about celebrating good food in the company
of loved ones. In uncertain times, we retreat to life’s certainties, 27% Spending 3% The wine should be poured inside
the Yorkshire pudding Yorkshire and the Humber
time with family 1 in 5 respondents
and you can’t get more classic and British than a roast. Almost
3% Good and not on the side
(and 1 in 7 nationwide)
one in three of us says the highlight of this meal is the chance
to spend time with family. And this figure increases markedly
3% spending conversation confess to passing off
time with friends ready-made Yorkshire puds
as people get older.
According to our experts, there is also an element of ‘cool, 2% Going as their own
out to a pub
relaxed nostalgia’ going on with the roast revival. This rose-
tinted element is borne out in our research: 30% of people
say their mum cooks the best roast, while only 18% say their West Midlands
partner does. And spare a thought for the nation’s fathers: just People here are the
most likely to admit
6% of people reckon that Dad’s roasts are the finest.
they’ve served shop-
Despite life’s increasingly unsettled routines, lunchtime on Northern Ireland
What’s your is where people
bought roasties
Sunday remains the overwhelming favourite time for a roast.
70%
favourite are most likely
as homemade
The meal is a chance to let go. A third of us say we eat more food
roast? to opt for a
when our family comes together for a roast, while 40% of us
of brits vegetarian roast
stay at the table longer on such occasions. Old hierarchies are
lovingly and temporarily restored as soon as the gravy boat
say roasts are a #1Chicken East Anglia
great value meal Horseradish
comes out: three in 10 people admit to reverting to their is the most
2 Beef
childhood roles when they sit down to a roast with family. 3 Lamb popular
Despite regional differences in tastes – gravy is twice as 4 Pork condiment
popular in Wales as it is in East Anglia, for example – there 5 Turkey for a roast
are certain universal roast no-nos. Almost two thirds of people 6 Gammon among people
agree that chips should never be served with a roast, and 75% 7 Nut roast in East
of us say that a roast just isn’t a roast without gravy. 8 Duck Wales england
One thing’s for sure: our love of this meal is getting stronger. customers at our
Plus, roasts are good value and great for leftovers to boot.
Abergavenny store
buy more ready-prepared
What’s your red cabbage than any
‘By its nature, you’d rarely choose to cook favourite part other waitrose &
a roast if you were cooking for one. So it will
always be a sociable meal.’
of a roast
dinner?
38% partners shoppers
South East
Roast
a l i s o n o a k e rv e e
potatoes 19% The London
Those in this
region feel
meat or meat more Londoners most strongly
Partner & Food Editor alternative favour Roast lamb
South West that roasties
5% than people of are the only
Photography: Alamy, Getty Images
vegetables people here are the most likely
‘People are looking back to old-fashioned values any other region potatoes
to have taught themselves
and heritage recipes. It’s about the kitchen being how to cook a roast that should
6%
the centre of the home, and the meals that stuffing 18% be served
Granny used to make.’ yorkshire
7% no pudding
J o n at h a n m o o r e favourite
7%
Partner & Executive Chef gravy
Waitrose & Partners Food and Drink report 11
10 Waitrose & Partners Food and Drink report
Fu ture trends
Look out for these five foodie fashions in 2019
The next
3
WEST
AFRICAN
big scoop FOOD
Ice cream is having a moment. No longer the From Ghana to Senegal and
preserve of children’s parties or a day at the Nigeria to Mali, food from West
beach, the popular dessert is entering a new Africa is set to become the next big
era of Insta-friendly indulgence. thing. Brits love their spicy food,
Taking their influences from street food in and the flavours from this part of
Thailand, Hong Kong and Taiwan, trendy new the world are extremely special
parlours are popping up in the UK and pushing indeed. Whether it’s tangy chicken
ice cream to the next level of sensory experience. yassa or tasty jollof rice, dishes are
Bubblewrap Waffle and Pan-n-Ice (whose ‘tacos’ often cooked in one pot, so lend
are below), are just two London producers themselves to the trend for
experimenting with new textures, colours and sharing. The vibrancy of the
flavours – with very tasty results. cuisine is astonishing.
And with supermarket ice cream sales
4
PERSONALISED smashing the £1bn mark this year, we think
LET’S
HEALTH this fun trend is only just getting started.
GET
It sounds like something BITTER
out of a sci-fi novel, but As a nation, we’ve long embraced
the mainstream use of sweet, sour and salty taste profiles.
artificial intelligence Now it looks as though their
(AI) to improve our errant cousin – bitterness – is
health and diet is just coming in from the cold. Already
around the corner. popular in drinks such as the
Thanks to algorithms, negroni and Aperol spritz, bitter
computer programmes, food is coming to a plate near you.
apps and voice- High-cocoa chocolate and kale
recognition technology, are now part of the mainstream,
we’ll soon be able to while the trend for charring food
receive accurate, over a naked flame is bringing a
up-to-date and tailored distinctive tang to restaurants.
advice on how best to Our palates are about to take a
look after ourselves. further leap – forget social
Whether through our convention, it’s time to get bitter!
smartphones, laptops or
Alexa-style devices,
we’ll be able to view
personalised dietary tips cocktail change-ups Aquafaba
and bespoke shopping Chickpea water kitchen
lists. Access to phone- Some very different alcohol-free to be used for trimmings
based GP services is ingredients will be ‘spirits’ will provide vegan foam By including
growing in popularity, finding their way into even more complexity fruit rind and
too. With NHS England our drinks next year. of flavour veg peel,
publishing its code of As palates and lifestyles cocktails will
conduct for the use of AI change, and demand reduce waste
this year, a revolution in for alcohol-free options savoury
personalised dietary increases (almost a third notes kombucha
advice is on its way. of 16-25 year-olds now The likes of We’ll see this
don’t drink alcohol), pickled onion fermented
mixologists are getting and beetroot will drink make its
ever-more imaginative. tickle taste buds way as a mixer
12 Waitrose & Partners Food and Drink report
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