Food Trends “Trickle-up” in 2013 expanding the Grocerant Niche.

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LegacyHigh-end restaurants have been trend setting or so they told us for years.  However new research from Culinary Visionsedifies our position non-traditional locations are driving change.  Consumers driven in large part by The 65 InchHDTV Syndrome are migrating food channels seeking new meal component options.
Sharon Olson,executive director of Culinary Visions research panel that conducted the studyof 300 customers nationally including dozens of food experts four three key findings:
Street Markets of Asia are having aninfluence American food trends
Consumers want to be able to pronouncethe ingredients in their food
Food trucks aren't news anymore: Chefsare taking their wares to oddball locations
Authenticityequals food integrity.  Consumers areshowing a favor for locally produced foods, local and exotic veggies,street-vendor food and home-preserved foods. What does that mean for nationalchains decentralization. The2013 Culinary Visions research panel director Sharon Olson put it this way:
-- Street markets rule. Say goodbye to thenotion of fine-dining trends eventually trickling down to the rest of us. In2013, it will increasingly be trickle-up. "All of the inspiration willcome from street markets," …Much is coming from street markets of Asia,for example, which recently influenced Chipotle to open the Asian-themedShopHouse chain. "It's a reverse thinking on the way companies look atidentifying food trends," she says….
"Pure" food sells. Consumers want thefood that they buy demystified. They want to be able to pronounce the names ofall the product ingredients. And they want to know where it comes from —ideally, locally, says Olson. "Nothing sells like pure and simple,"….
Kids get coddled. Forget the crayons, toys and prizes.In 2013, the way to appeal to both parents and kids will be to offer healthierbut affordable food options; pay attention to food allergies, and train staffto be extra kid-friendly,…Pop-up eateries emerge. Chefs increasinglywill take their cooking talents to oddball locations in 2013 from kiosks toempty storefronts to farmers' fields, predicts Olson. "Food trucks aren'tnews anymore," says Olson, "so these are new ways of delivering thedining experience."…
Canning gets cool. As the locally grown push grows, sowill the notion of canning, curing and cutting in-house. Pickling, inparticular, is emerging as a hip way to add a personal touch,…
Veggies rock. From hyper-local veggies to thoseimported from exotic foreign lands, the vegetable will move to the center ofmany plates in 2013. Fresh veggies will show up in more school lunches and inmore gourmet retail shops, says Olson. "Veggies have become chic."
Thesemay seem “odd-ball” locations to some of you but non-traditional locations area driving force in the successful growth the grocerant niche. Here are some wehave spoken about Fresh food Markets, C-stores, Produce Stands and even LiquorStores are now selling fresh prepared ready-2-eat and heat-N-eat food.Steven Johnson is Grocerant Guru at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions,with extensive experience as a multi-unit operator, consultant andbrand/product positioning. Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA hasbeen the global leader in the Grocerant niche for more on Steven A. Johnson andFoodservice Solutions® visit The Grocerant on LinkedIn or @Grocerant onTwitter