2010 MENU: LARDO, SECHUAN BUTTONS AND BLACK GARLIC

In late 2009 I teamed up with Kim Long of Denver’s American Forecaster to research the new culinary trends that we saw developing. The result is Eat In Eat Out, a new business-to-business white paper in magazine form. In the past, such business forecasts have tended to look at restaurants, supermarkets and beverages as separate industries. Fundamental changes in the way that Americans get their fare impelled us to look at what we eat as an interwoven whole.

Among the predictions in Eat In Eat Out:

- Consumers will find plenty of affordable options for food in 2010 as the effects of the recession linger. Supermarkets — from Walmart to Krogers — will continue to push discounts and restaurants — from McDonalds to upscale steak houses — will expand their use of bargain menus. Private labels will continue their resurgence.

- Local sourcing of food will move out of a specialized niche as national food stores and eateries rapidly expand their use of food supplies created locally or regionally including: artisanal cheeses and salumi, heirloom produce, specialty breads, and natural and organic meats. The number of community gardens, small truck farms, farmers’ markets, farm stands and chef-owned gardens will expand. 

- The fastest growth area for new cuisine in 2010 will be street food. Twin factors are behind this trend: economic necessity (chefs driven out of the market for conventional restaurants by high overhead) and foodies (consumers questing for unique culinary adventures without a high price tag). Ethnic cuisines from Central America and Asia are ideally suited to benefit from the street food boom as it spreads from big cities to the suburbs.

 - Eat In Eat Out also points to fast growth for kombucha (a traditional fermented tea backed by major new investments in RTD products), black garlic, lardo, home cooking, upscale burgers, and made-in-America artisanal distilleries.

For more information on Eat In Eat Out, visit www.americanforecaster.com or JohnLehndorff.com.

A look at food to come

For many months I’ve been working with Kim Long on a new type of food trend white paper. Here’s what industry magazine Gourmet Retailer had to say about it today:

Foodies Picks & Predictions
“Eat In Eat Out” is a 52-page full-color illustrated magazine-style report, packed with insights, perspectives and highlights impacting retail and foodservice sectors. The new publication is backed by 25 years of publishing history from the “American Forecaster Almanac.” Trend predictions include:
• Kitchen gardens, community gardens and gardening in general are part of a broad trend marked by a quest for freshness, improved taste, lower grocery bills and optimal nutrition.
• Major chefs, independent restaurants and entrepreneurs are part of a rapidly expanding zeal for street food — this includes the introduction of new ethnic cuisines, culinary fusion concepts and upscale versions of traditional street food.
• Chefs, specialty markets and major supermarket chains are in a rush to develop local food resources — heirloom vegetables, ultra-fresh eggs, natural meats, handcrafted cheeses, fresh herbs and other artisan commodities.
• A renaissance is under way for traditional European delicacies — lardo, salume, provincial cheeses and others — but made from scratch by local and regional American food crafters.
• Craft innovation has spread from the thriving American microbrewery industry to a new niche market — microdistilleries — making high-end gins, vodkas, whiskeys and even absinthe and grappa.

For more information, visit www.americanforecaster.com. ;