There’s little that gets the internet and blogosphere humming quite like a new food presentation trends (OK, there’s always Hollywood divorces and Oscars mistakes – but you’re hardly likely to come to Mills Display for your fix of Tinseltown tittle-tattle!). So back to food, food retail and food display… and it’s clear that the ongoing popularity of food-as-entertainment, food television, meals-on-the-go and boutique, local providers has shown that the New Zealand food retail sector is still booming.
At Mills Display, we have years’ worth of food presentation experience working in every link in the food chain.
From manufacturing and transport, to retail and restaurant. And that means that we’re not only keen to stay on top of fresh global trends, but also to help roll them out in the New Zealand market to help boost an economy that thrives on growing and creating the best products and then serving them up to homegrown consumers and the ever-increasing numbers of tourists.
So what’s caught our eye recently – and how can you tap into the Mills Display team’s enthusiasm for food presentation and display solutions to help your business boom?
Food Presentation Trend 1: Novelty
The sushi donut – “is here and it’s blowing the internet’s mind”
Already this year we’ve seen the birth of the sushi donut – “they’re here and they’re blowing the internet’s mind”, according to USA Today – and a school lunch service in New Plymouth has sparked a few headlines with its “frushi” mashup of sweet rice and fruit. In other words, the consumer doesn’t mind whether they’re in a store or a restaurant or a school canteen, they are equally as happy to jump on board the novelty train.
Ever since the cronut took the world by storm in 2013 – and turned New York bakery owner Dominque Ansel into a food celebrity – businesses all over the world have looked to create novelty signature dishes in an effort to go viral and attract fame (and a little fortune). You don’t need an onsite industrial bakery or ranks of food scientists working in development laboratories – just a bit of flare, some imagination, and the right tools. Then simply put them on display and try to talk Seven Sharp or Breakfast into featuring them on television!
Food Presentation Trend 2: All-in-one Menu Designs
Grocery delivery companies, online shopping and firms offering all-ingredients-in-one-bag meals have certainly changed the landscape when it comes to food retail, presentation and display in New Zealand. But for stores that need to compete with these new players, there are plenty of ways in which the shopping experience can incorporate shoppers’ new expectations.
For example, grouping displays around set menus or organising ingredients around a week’s worth of meals can help reduce customers’ browsing time as well as boosting your own authority around your products. Themed displays around geography (Mexican or Indian foods, for example), or novel uses for homegrown Kiwi products (local cheeses, meats or wine-matches, for example) can also play into the hands of time-poor shoppers.
Food Presentation Trend 3: Less is more
The star-studded South Beach Food Festival in the US attracts some of the biggest names in the world of food and hospitality and they’re always keen to push their latest ideas for what’s hot and on trend. Among the predictions for a resurgence in items such as ramen noodles, saki, ancient African grains and regional Indian dishes, one of the comments that caught our eye was from Jose Andres, the chef-owner of ThinkFoodGroup and the man credited with bringing the concept of small-plate dining to the US.
Jose predicts “that more and more dishes will have less and less ingredients – the four-ingredient dish is the next big thing!” In order for this to work, retailers need to think about spotlighting their key, star ingredients and providing a good story and pedigree for what’s on offer.
Food Presentation Trend 4: Boutique Producers
For a few years now, New Zealand consumers have been developing a keen taste for understanding where their food is coming from and this has sparked a rise both in boutique producers and in stores creating food presentations and displays that play into this “think local, buy local” theme.
As well as the wooden barrels, crates, block and stands that can really help give any food display that “farmers’ market” feel, there are plenty of other natural and natural-look products (from wicker baskets to melamine slates) to help create a cohesive design for any food presentation.
Food Presentation Trend 5: Food on the Go
What certainly hasn’t changed over recent years is how time-poor we all are – and that has led to a huge jump in the amount we snack, or eat on the go, as opposed to sitting down with friends and family. While at the one end of the spectrum, the slow food movement is calling for braising and roasting less tender cuts of meat, there’s also a huge market for ready-made and prepared food that can be eaten on the go.
Deli counters are turning into one-stop shops for working lunches, while well-designed produce counters and displays can be used to push healthy snacks.
Get in touch for more information
If you want to keep up to date on our food presentation and display products, items and systems, or you’re interested in finding a customised solution to a particular trend or challenge, you can get more information by downloading a catalogue, emailing us or by talk to one of our salespeople on Live Chat.
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