This is the third installment in our “2015 Emerging Food Trend Forecast” series exploring food and beverage mega-trends.
3. Meet the growing league of culinary commandos
Most pundits predict the continued shrink of cooking skills alongside the rise of prepared meal solutions. We agree. But with a big, heavy asterisk. There is a smaller and nonetheless vitally important and we believe growing segment of home “uber-cooks.” They represent an important, influential audience that can impact the fortunes of all segments and players in food and beverage.
These culinary commandos are adopting and adapting the skills and capabilities of kitchen professionals for food cooked at home. Their knowledge of food, preparation techniques, ingredients and developing flavors is impressive by any standard. Their love of great food and taste have impacted their view of what constitutes a menu or a meal – and with it comes more opportunity for product evolution to serve their quality-driven needs.
Imagine a grocery store, for example, with trained culinary professionals in the aisles able, even anxious, to engage these home chefs in a conversation about their favorite recipes for Korean barbecue or truffle risotto… And when schedule pressures get in the way of their kitchen playtime goals, the quality they want in prepared foods is at another level entirely. Smart grocers will look to up-scaled deli and prepared meals, as well as take home meal kits to meet the emerging needs of the convenience seeking food adventurer.
Look for our next installment: The Grand Ingredient Play
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Bob Wheatley is the CEO of Chicago-based Emergent Healthy Living. Emergent provides integrated brand strategy, communications and insight solutions to national food, beverage, home and lifestyle companies. Emergent’s unique and proprietary transformation and growth focus helps organizations navigate, engage and leverage consumers’ desire for higher quality, healthier product or service experiences that mirror their desire for higher quality lifestyles. For more information, contact [email protected] and follow on Twitter @BobWheatley.