LEMPERT’S TOP FOOD TRENDS FOR 2015 INCLUDE:
2. Same-Day Delivery Not Just for City Clickers: Grocery Shopping Goes 24/7: Online grocery shopping and delivery has become a crowded space, with a host of services competing for consumer attention. This trend allows everyone who sells food and beverages to be in the same-day delivery business without having to add additional operational infrastructure. Once considered a luxury for those living in metropolitan areas, revenue gains among food and beverage e-commerce/delivery service indicate the trend will expand to mainstream consumers living in both urban and rural areas next year. Previously, major e-commerce players like Amazon would only deliver non-perishable items, but Peapod, Fresh Direct, Amazon Fresh and Instacart make it possible to have perishables like Healthy Choice® Café Steamers delivered to your door in less than two hours. With this in mind, products will evolve and become catered to online shoppers. More brands will bundle multiple SKUs to create meal kits or offer pre-packaged sets of multiple products.
3. Everything Smoked: Just when you thought the bacon trend had cooled off, restaurateurs and at-home cooks are continuing to turn up the heat. The demand for smoked foods has risen as chefs begin to apply smoking and grilling to add some sizzle and impart new flavor to other proteins and alternatives like vegetables, butters, and even cocktails. And, with smokers gaining in popularity in backyards across America, at-home cooks are also experimenting with smoking non-traditional foods. The increase in smoked foods is sparking an increase in enjoying that smoky flavor year-round. For example, tomatoes are one of the most popular non-meat items, and that fresh-from-the-grill smoked flavor can now be found in Hunt’s®Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes. In 2015, look for even more smoked flavors to emerge into your favorite foods found in the grocery aisles, menus and recipes.
4. The Rise of Fermented Foods: 2015 will be the year fermented foods – foods like yogurt, tempeh and sauerkraut take center stage. These foods contain live cultures, or are preserved in liquid so their sugars and starches can become bacteria-boosting agents. After multi-year growth of gluten-free foods and probiotics, many consumers have found their digestive health improved. In fact, a survey from ConAgra Foods found that nearly 50 percent of Americans have changed their diet to help improve digestion, with nearly 20 percent doing so in the past year. In 2014, we saw an expansion of gluten-free beyond the one percent of the population that has Celiac Disease. This will continue but also evolve into an increased focus on the consumption of fermented foods as people continue to look for ways to aid digestion. Increased knowledge about the impact foods have on our digestive health will lead to significant changes in the way consumers prepare food in 2015. Once toppings or side items, fermented foods will become commonplace in meals throughout the day.
5. Gen Z: Chefs Everyday: Millennials’ passion for food-related adventures is undeniable, but Gen Z, the demographic group born after Millennials (1995 to present day), brings an entire new set of food values to the kitchen table. Exposed at a young age to more flavors and variety than previous generations, Gen Z’s collective attitude toward food is simplicity and health. They tend to use stove tops rather than microwaves for cooking meals and fresh ingredients to prepared foods. Research by NPD Group indicates some of their favorite foods to cook include eggs/omelets, hot dogs, potatoes and chicken, which they can “dress up” with their own unique touch. In 2015, look for even more brands to offer simple ideas to elevate everyday foods. For example, breakfast goes up a notch when replacing basic eggs with frittatas and quiche made with EggBeaters® and fresh herbs and produce.
6. Craft Foods Make its Way into Kitchens Everywhere: Typically associated with foods made in small batches with specialized, local ingredients, major companies are finding ways to produce craft foods in larger quantities. The phenomenon of craft beer brought new excitement, flavors and sales to the struggling beer industry: MillerCoors® and Anheuser-Busch InBev are two examples of major companies that have made the jump to more locally produced, limited distribution and sub-brands.
In 2015, look for this trend to extend to other beverages and food, as Millennials in particular continue to seek unique tastes and foods with authentic origin stories. Marie Callender’s® Razzleberry Pie, made with whole Oregon Marionberries and North American red raspberries, is an example of a food that looks and tastes homemade but is found in freezer aisles nationwide.
7. Nutrition Labels: No Longer Just on Packaged Foods: As consumers want more information about their foods, innovative devices like Prep Pad will soon offer this information instantaneously. The Prep Pad pairs with an iPad app to calculate the exact nutritional content of your meals, including the carbs, fats, protein and calories by scanning the bar code of food packages used as ingredients or the items on your plate. Information about a food’s ingredients, chemical makeup or nutritional values will become more readily available and commonplace in the supermarket and our kitchens.
8. Supermarkets Convert into Socializing Spaces: Supermarkets have evolved from straightforward centers where consumers could buy groceries to purveyors of lifestyle. Present day supermarkets are developing a variety of services that help set them apart and establish each outlet as an ambassador of niche lifestyle trends. In the near future, we can expect supermarkets to further specialize in order to present their customers with a unique experience that showcases their personality and philosophy toward foods – instead of presenting themselves solely as vendors of goods.
A desire to be “all things food” to their customers, especially singles, is positioning them as head to head competitors with chain and local restaurants. Retailers today will build full-service high quality restaurants as part of their brick and mortar operations. Experienced culinarians, usually CIA trained chefs with many years of experience, are offering unique dishes, local foods and beverages. Cooking classes, events and seminars are giving consumers reasons beyond a grocery list to step inside their neighborhood store. Sampling is no longer a cracker or potato chip on a napkin; stores have advanced and now have chefs like George Duran cooking up Hunt’s® signature recipes for shoppers.
ABOUT PHIL LEMPERT
Known as The Supermarket Guru®, Phil Lempert is a distinguished author and speaker who alerts customers and business leaders to impending corporate and consumer trends and empowers them to make educated purchasing and marketing decisions. He is one of America's leading consumer trend-watchers and analysts, serving as a spokesperson for ConAgra Foods and making regular appearances on NBC News' Today show and ABC's The View. Lempert offers thorough food ratings, analyzes trends in food marketing and retail and features health advice, unique recipes, nutrition analysis, allergy alerts and many other resources for consumers. Learn more about Phil Lempert at supermarketguru.com.
ABOUT CONAGRA FOODS
ConAgra Foods, Inc., (NYSE: CAG) is one of North America's largest packaged food companies with branded and private branded food found in 99 percent of America's households, as well as a strong commercial foods business serving restaurants and foodservice operations globally.
Consumers can find recognized brands such as Banquet®, Chef Boyardee®, Egg Beaters®, Healthy Choice®, Hebrew National®, Hunt's®, Marie Callender's®, Orville Redenbacher's®, PAM®, Peter Pan®, Reddi-wip®, Slim Jim®, Snack Pack® and many other ConAgra Foods brands, along with food sold by ConAgra Foods under private brand labels, in grocery, convenience, mass merchandise, club and drug stores. Additionally, ConAgra Foods supplies frozen potato and sweet potato products as well as other vegetable, spice, bakery and grain products to commercial and foodservice customers. ConAgra Foods operates ReadySetEat.com, an interactive recipe website that provides consumers with easy dinner recipes and more.
WWW.CONAGRAFOODS.COM
WWW.FORKFUL.COM
EXECUTIVE CHEF GREG GASPAR - THE CHICAGO DOG COMES TO MAUI WITH HANK’S HAUTE DOGS AT SHERATON MAUI RESORT & SPA
2015 will mark many firsts but at the top of our list is visiting Hank’s Haute Dogs new Maui location at the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa. Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa partners with innovative restauranteur Henry “Hank” Adaniya to bring nationally acclaimed Hank’s Haute Dogs to Black Rock on Ka‘anapali Beach, Maui. The beachfront Maui location will feature some of Hank’s most popular ‘dogs’ including the Portuguese sausage Hawaiian dog as well as the Chicago dog and signature dipping sauces.
“Hank’s is about never tasting winter again, life on the beach, dog in hand”, explains Hank. “It’s really gourmet fine dining infused in a quick grab and go concept,” continues Hank. The Ka’anapali Beach location at Black Rock offers beachgoers a local favorite and an award winning gourmet dog.
“We are excited to be partners with Hank and opening up his first licensed Hank’s Haute Dogs location here on Maui,” explains Greg Gaspar, Executive Chef at Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa.
Hank’s Haute Dogs Maui celebrates its’ grand opening on Monday, December 22, 2014 at the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa. It will be open seven days a week. For more information, call (808) 661-0031 or visit www.sheraton-maui.com/dining/hankshautedogs.
About the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa
Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa is where the legend of Ka‘anapali began. Situated on Ka‘anapali Beach at historic Pu‘u Keka‘a, Black Rock, the oceanfront resort is nestled among 23 acres of tropical landscaping with 83 percent of the resort’s 508 rooms and suites facing the ocean.
Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa was named the Starwood Hotels & Resorts 2007 “Hotel of the Year” for the Sheraton brand, and recognized in Conde Nast Travelers’ 2012 Top 25 Hawaiian Resorts. Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa has also appeared in TRAVEL + LEISURE magazine’s World’s Best Awards “Top Resorts in Hawaii” in 2007, 2008 and 2013. For more information about Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa please visit http://www.sheraton-maui.com.
About Hank’s Haute Dogs
The Hank's Concept is built around the company's principal, Henry Adaniya. As a prominent restauranteur he has promoted some of the highest profile chefs in the country. It is a venture founded on his entrepreneurial spirit and love for food. Trio, his world-renowned restaurant, garnered hundreds of accolades and awards over the past twelve years. Now, in a bold move from the fine dining to a fast food arena, Henry focuses on his family roots here in developing Hank's Haute Dogs. The hot dog is an edible icon of this story that everyone can savor both in flavor and success. For more information about Hank’s Haute Dogs please visit www.hankshautedogs.com.
WWW.SHERATON-MAUI.COM
WWW.HANKSHAUTEDOGS.COM
SUSAN ZIRINSKY – EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, 48 HOURS (CBS)
ABOUT SUSAN:
Susan Zirinsky, an award-winning journalist and producer, is the senior executive producer of "48 Hours".
In addition to leading the team behind the critically acclaimed "48 Hours", Zirinsky serves as the senior executive producer for breaking news specials for CBS News and specials for CBS Entertainment.
Zirinsky and her "48 Hours" team won an Emmy for their primetime special on the Boston Marathon Bombing in April 2013, "48 Hours": Caught". Zirinsky was the senior executive producer of two CBS prime time specials in December 2013: "Mandela: Father of a Nation" and in November 2013: "As it Happened: John F. Kennedy: 50 Years". In May of 2013, Zirinsky was the senior executive producer of a new six part documentary series for CBS, "Brooklyn DA", which followed the men and women of the Kings County District Attorney's Office. The series also won an Emmy for editing.
Zirinsky and her team's primetime special, "Tragedy in Newtown" were part of CBS' award winning coverage winning the prestigious Alfred I. DuPont-Columbia Award for excellence in broadcast journalism awarded in January 2014. She also produced two prime time specials for CBS on the movie theatre shootings in Aurora, Colorado.
Zirinsky was the co-executive producer of two "Person to Person" interview specials for CBS in 2012. In March 2013, she produced "The Grammys Will Go On: A Death in the Family", a documentary about the Grammys and the night Whitney Houston died, and "Vanity Fair's Hollywood", celebrating the 20th anniversary of the magazine's exclusive Oscar party.
She produced CBS's 2011 prime time special "The Royal Wedding: Modern Majesty". Zirinsky also produced the critically acclaimed documentary series in January for ID Discovery, "The Injustice Files," working with the FBI on cold cases from the civil rights era.
Zirinsky was the executive producer of a documentary with Oscar-nominated filmmakers Rachel Grady and Heidi Ewing, "The Lord's Boot Camp", in 2008. Also in 2008, she expanded the "48 Hours" brand with the launch of "Crimesider", a crime blog for CBSNews.com. Zirinsky was one of the executive producers of a documentary for CBS Entertainment with Emmy Award-winning filmmakers Jules and Gedeon Naudet, "In God's Name", in 2007.
Zirinsky was executive producer of the critically acclaimed documentary "Flashpoint", in May 2007, which told the story of one bomb, three journalists and the Army's 4th Infantry Division. In May 2006, Also in 2006, Zirinsky was executive producer of a new web series for CBS Entertainment called "Countdown", , an online companion to the CBS series "Jericho".
She was executive producer for a documentary for CBS Entertainment, "Elvis by the Presleys" in 2005, as well as executive producer of two specials for Tyra Banks' "America's Next Top Model."
Zirinsky was executive producer of the critically acclaimed Emmy nominated documentary, "Three Days in September", for Showtime in 2005, which told the story of a school taken hostage in Beslan, Russia. The film, narrated by Julia Roberts, was featured at the Tribeca Film Festival. Showtime reran the documentary the week of Sept. 6, 2014, on the 10-year anniversary of the tragedy.
Previously, she was an executive producer of CBS News' award-winning broadcast "9/11" - a documentary on the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that included the only footage of the first plane going into the north tower of the World Trade Center and of activity inside the Trade Center before the towers fell. The documentary won an Emmy, a George Foster Peabody award, the Edward R. Murrow Award for Excellence, a Christopher Award and a Writers Guild of America award. The documentary was first broadcast in 2002, was updated for the fifth anniversary of the attacks was updated again to mark the 10th anniversary in 2011.
Since joining CBS News as a part-time production clerk in 1972, Zirinsky has worked for a variety of CBS News broadcasts and covered national and global news, several presidents, wars, international conflicts, the Olympics and the world of fashion.
Before joining "48 Hours" in 1996, she was executive producer of Campaign '96 (1995-96), managing the daily operations of CBS News' election-year political coverage, and of the primetime CBS News magazine, "Eye to Eye" (1994-95), after having served as the broadcast's senior broadcast producer and senior producer (1993-94).
Zirinsky was the director of CBS News' 1992 political reporting, responsible for coordinating coverage of candidates, issues and events for all CBS News broadcasts, including the presidential election. During that period, she was CBS News' senior producer at the 1992 Olympic Winter Games in Albertville, France, where she oversaw the CBS News and Sports news desk for the network.
Earlier, Zirinsky served in several capacities for the "CBS Evening News with Dan Rather" in New York and Washington, D.C. In New York, she was its senior broadcast producer (1991-92) and senior producer (1989-91). In Washington, she managed all feature stories and oversaw editorial content of daily hard-news events (1986-89). She first joined the "CBS Evening News" as a producer in 1979.
She also worked on other CBS News broadcasts, including the "CBS Morning News" and "CBS Evening News" weekend editions. Zirinsky worked the Democratic and Republican National Conventions from 1976 through 1988 as a floor producer for Dan Rather, Lesley Stahl, Ed Bradley and Mike Wallace. In 1992 she was senior producer for all coverage at both conventions.
Zirinsky's international news experience is extensive. She traveled overseas with presidents Carter and Reagan. Her assignments have taken her to Russia, China, Japan, Europe, Central and South America, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. In 1989, Zirinsky ran CBS News' operations out of Panama during the United States invasion of that country and was in charge of CBS News' operation in Beijing during the Tiananmen Square student uprising and military crackdown. Earlier that year, she was lead producer for CBS News' coverage from Japan of Emperor Hirohito's funeral. She was the senior producer responsible for setting up and overseeing the Network's news operation in Kuwait while covering the first Persian Gulf War, and it was under her stewardship that CBS News was the first network to enter Kuwait, just behind the Allied forces.
Zirinsky was technical advisor/associate producer for writer/director James L. Brooks on the film "Broadcast News," starring Holly Hunter as a Washington network news producer.
In 2013, she was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award by the New York Festivals International Television & Film Awards.
Zirinsky was graduated cum laude from American University in Washington, D.C. She is married to Joe Peyronnin and they have one daughter, Zoe Peyronnin.