Allergens, Brexit, food trends and sustainability are predicted to have the greatest impact on
foodservice businesses in the coming year, according to Bidfood. At its annual food festival – an exhibition showcasing the very best of Bidfood’s own brand and branded products and support services – the foodservice provider brought together key players from the industry to debate these pressing issues and discuss practical solutions for the future. Key insights from the event were:
Allergens Whilst the conversation around allergens bubbled away across 2018, the Pret tragedy sparked a consumer call for greater clarity on allergen labelling. With changing government legislation likely to be announced in July this year, the impact on the industry is set to be huge. Bidfood called for a standardised approach to dealing with allergen information, stressing the need for
wholesale foods suppliers, retailers and other industries to work together to establish a best practice approach. In addition to continued growth in the free-from market, Director of Technical Services at Bidfood, Angela O’Donovan, predicted increased focus on the use of probiotics and microbiotics, which are thought to play a role in allergy management and prevention.
Brexit Key industry players from Bidfood, WSH and KP Snacks explored what Brexit could mean for
foodservice and hospitality in a panel debate. There was resounding agreement amongst the panel that business agility is of paramount importance in the approach to the 29
th March. Despite looking in-depth at some of the challenges of Brexit, the panel emphasised that it shouldn’t be all doom and gloom, and that Brexit may also present some opportunities, from growth in UK food and drink export, to post-Brexit innovation.
Trends The political environment, concerns around sustainability, food provenance and global food influences are set to fuel the major food trends of 2019. Bidfood’s insights team explored what this will look like across all sectors of the industry and gave practical suggestions for adopting new products and flavours onto menus. Advice included looking to foods like ‘trash fish’ and lesser-known cuts of
meat for inspiration, using vibrant, experimental flavours found in Afro-Caribbean food and making vegetables the stars of our plates. More information can be found in Bidfood’s 2019 Trends Brochure. Download it for free here:
www.bidfood.co.uk/2019-food-trends Sustainability WRAP’s Pete Rayner outlined sustainability topics which will drive strategic workstreams at Bidfood over the coming year. Food waste reduction, plastic packaging strategy and a drive towards more sustainable business modelling set to form the basis of these. As part of the conversation around food waste, WRAP introduced the concept of ‘Compl
eating’, the process of eating the entire vegetable/food product. The charity emphasised its desire to work together with partners like Bidfood to change social norms which have built around food consumption.
Tim Adams, Director of Marketing and Corporate Sales at Bidfood, commented: “Helping our customers remain futureproofed and robust in the midst of social, economic and political uncertainty is front of mind for us at Bidfood. We’re continually looking ahead and analysing what’s set to influence the supply chain, menu development, consumer expectations and loyalty. This is then fed into our whole offering, from food & beverage and non-food, to consultancy and menu development. Our annual food festival is great chance to share the expertise we’ve gained with our customers. “With such a challenging, yet exciting year ahead for the industry, discussing the biggest insights, obstacles and considerations at the event was hugely valuable for us all.”
