Karen Fischer

1. 2019 Trends and Opportunities
Selling Food to Ontario, March 5, 2019

2. Some 2019 Trends to Think About
• Shift From Mindful to Virtuous Consumption
• Shift From the Rise of Plant- based Products to the Rise of the
Conscious Carnivore and Ethical Protein
• Shift From Diets to Selective Eating
• Food & Mood - Shift from Physical to Emotional Well-being
• Shift From Heart Health to Gut Health - The Rise of the Human
Microbiome
• Shift to Blended Meals and Blended Shopping
• Shift from Millennials to Generation Z

3. Shift From Mindful to Virtuous Consumption
• Climate change and reduction of food and packaging waste have
become top of mind
• Consumers are beginning to feel more and more responsible for food
waste reduction
• Upcycled goods, where a waste stream becomes an asset, can shift
the consumer’s view of a product
• Bring your own containers, packaging-free products and zero waste
grocers are launching in Canada
• Things to consider: as a retailer, do you compost your food waste? As
food service establishment, do you compost or donate leftover food?

4. Shift From the Rise of Plant- based Products to the
Rise of the Conscious Carnivore and Ethical
Protein
• A reduction in meat consumption emerged in 2019 as a trend, for
animal welfare, environment and health reasons
• Canada Food Guide changes support this; protein is still important to
consumers
• Meat-eaters are looking for grass-fed, ethically raised, Certified
Humane products
• Cultured protein (lab grown ‘clean’ meat) not economically viable at
the moment, but prices may come down
• Blended options such as beef and mushroom burgers
• Consumer education and awareness is key

5. Shift From Diets to Selective Eating
• ‘Dieting’ is dying off – selective eating is its replacement, with the
objective of optimising performance
• Online shopping and influencer communities changing how we think
about food
• Eating styles are becoming more values led, for example pro-animal
welfare vs vegan, or blended diets where meat consumption is
reduced.
• Smartphones and artificial intelligence support selective eaters.
• Retailers and food service could consider ways to cater to more
selective eaters

6. Food & Mood - Shift from Physical to Emotional
Well-being
• Health means physical and mental well-being
• Consumers are looking to food to support their physical and mental health
– what can it do for me?
• Food and drink products that impact mood and emotional health on the
rise
• Cannabis is a growth industry that supports this. Lots to consider with the
upcoming legalization of cannabis in food and beverage
• Blurred lines between drug and grocery channels; will more than just a
pharmacist be required?
• Food service and cannabis-based products – do you have home delivery?

7. Shift From Heart Health to Gut Health - The Rise of
the Human Microbiome
• Growing awareness that our gut health is most closely linked to
overall health
• Probiotics and fermented foods, high fibre and sprouted foods all
show the rising interest in digestion and gut health

8. Shift to Blended Meals and Blended Shopping
• Convenience still driving food purchase decisions; foods sourced from a
number of channels – restaurant, take-out, meal-kit, and scratch cooking.
• Traditional meat and potatoes are replaced with ‘bowls’ – simple,
convenient, and easy clean up.
• Online grocery shopping growing
• Convenient, fresh, shelf-stable products, healthy, ready-to-eat foods on the
rise?
• Will we see in-store chefs responding to regional and niche trends and
making them available?
• Will we see subscription services where we can order our meals for the day
prompted by a text we receive in the morning?

9. Shift from Millennials to Generation Z
• Born mid-1990’s to mid-2000’s, 25% of current population, largest
cohort, will have a significant impact on food trends.
• Better educated, more aware of nutrition and healthy eating choices,
do more meal prep, technology savvy, like leftovers
• What I want, when I want, where I want
• Customization is expected; phone is their connection to the world
• Visual – show me

11. 2019 Restaurant
Trends
Selling Food to Ontario, March 5, 2019

13. What’s In and What’s
Out?
• Kale is out!
• Gut flora-friendly ingredients.
• Oat milk and other dairy alternatives.
• Dry and hot pot cooking.
• More substitutions for diners with food
sensitivities,
• Reducing waste from single-use items.
• Virtual restaurants and cloud-based dining.
• Spice palates from countries such as
Kazakhstan, Tajikstan, Azerbaijan,
Uzbekistan…
• Edible flowers are back.

14. Root to Stem Cooking
• A new trend addressing food
waste has taken root.
• Chefs have found that
ingredients like broccoli stalks
and leaves, beet greens,
asparagus stems, carrot tops,
jackfruit cores etc. all bring
unique tastes, textures and
colours to a dish and are 100%
edible.

15. Incredible Edibles
• Canada is the second country to
legalize recreational use of the herb
nationwide, interest in cannabis is
taking the country’s hospitality
industry by storm.
• Regulations around edibles expected
in 2019
• Opportunities to introduce cannabis
to menus.
• Infusing dishes and beverages on the
horizon.

16. The Plant-Based/Alternative Protein
Movement
• Lab-developed meat
• Increased plant-based and
alternative protein options.
• More plant-based alternatives
to meat dishes.
• Heme
• Plant-based milks derived from
pea protein, oats and barley.

17. Pretty Please,
Without Sugar
• In the past, fat was on the list of ‘what not to
eat’ as it was thought to lead to heart disease
– sugar is now the latest.
• Chefs are continuing to find creative ways to
reduce sugar and sugary counterparts.
• Using more substitutes for sugar, honey and
agave on menus replacing with equally sweet
but more nutritious alternatives such as
carrot, sweet potato, golden beet, butternut
squash and corn.

18. Culinary Cocktails
• Juiced herbs and vegetables, edible flowers, and
splashes of tequila, brandy, rum or vodka.
• A shift in palate from sweet to savoury.
• More sustainable practices such as using leaves
and stems and veggies that aren’t quite plate
perfection.
• Incorporating flavours and techniques used in
dishes, all to provide customers with a flavourful
experience from glass to plate.

19. We Sea Greens
• Marine greens — anything from kelp
noodles and jerky to fish alternatives
made from algae.
• Seaweeds have been found to be a
natural source of vitamins A, B1, B2,
C, D and E, as well as being rich in
minerals like zinc, iodine, magnesium,
iron, copper, potassium and calcium.
• The ocean floor is full of healthy,
green ingredients with unique
flavours that will add diversity to
menu offerings.

20. Bring on the Bots
• A new generation of gizmos,
gadgets, autonomous robots and
artificially intelligent technologies
will be making their way into our
dining experiences.
• Innovations like the hands-free
sushi-making machines and robots
serving customizable made-to-order
salads, snacks, breakfast bowls and
grain bowls.
• Expect everything from robots
delivering meals, to AI providing
training, to ordering systems
replacing waiters and cashiers.