Specialty Food Magazine

Restaurant-Level Ingredients and Products. Since the pandemic, many people are trying to recreate dining-out experiences while staying at home with the help of products like condiments, marinades, cooking sauces, and dressings, that offer culinary exploration as well as convenience. "Restaurant brands and chefs also are bringing their talents to CPG," says Trendspotter Jonathan Deutsch, a professor of Culinary Arts and Science in the Department of Food and Hospitality Management at Drexel University in Philadelphia and founder/director of the Drexel Food Core Lab. He cites examples like Philadelphia's Poi Dog sauces now available through retailers like Gotham Grove in Brooklyn, and bottled hot sauces from Cochon Cajun Southern Cooking, a New Orleans restaurant. "We're also seeing some fine-quality vinaigrettes that go far beyond the gloppy bottled salad dressings we grew up with," he adds. Deutsch says we will see more chefs and restaurants bottling their signature flavors with a sauce, dressing, condiment, or marinade, "especially as the hospitality industry remains a challenging sector for chefs to achieve success, as the pandemic has pointed out." Global Flavors at Home. Similar to restaurant- level dining at home, consumers are transferring experiences they may have had traveling to their at-home recipes. Some condiments and cooking sauces are keeping home cooking exciting with less-familiar flavor profiles from around the world. "I continue to see authentic and bold flavors that help to capture culture on a plate," says Trendspotter V. Sheree Williams, publisher of Cuisine Noir magazine, which connects the African diaspora through food, drink, and travel, and owner of boutique consulting firm V. Sheree Creative Enterprises. "Looking at trends over the last 11 years that I have been writing about food, producers are now comfortable with truly representing who they are and the ingredients they grew up with without the worry of whether it's familiar to the masses or not. They know there is an audience of consumers who want something that is new and different for them to try." "Particularly in the marinade space, we are seeing flavors that we are used to seeing in restaurants and at travel destinations coming into our home kitchens in easy-to-use formats," says Deustch. Examples include Island Bwoy jerk sauces, and Ghanaian shito from Hutwise, a retailer of African and Caribbean foods. "Strong flavors like fish sauce or sauces that used to be 'exotic,' for many consumers, have become accessible, flavor- rich allies for home cooking." Global chili-based condiments are gaining fans in the mainstream, according to the "Key Trend 2021: Global Chili Condiments" report from WGSN. Among those WGSN identifies for consumers looking to customize dishes with a cuisine-specific SPRING •••• 4 Trends to Watch for in Condiments, Dressings, and Marinades We asked SFA Trendspotters and market researchers what trends they are seeing or expect to emerge in the category. 1. Fermented condiments and sauces. Products that contain probiotics or are naturally fermented, will grow in popularity. WGSN sees fermented chilies in hot sauces as a rising trend as appreciation of sour, tangy flavor grows. Kimchi and miso are also ingredients showing up increasingly in dressings. 2. Functional attributes. Functional ingredients and their associated benefits that have become common in categories like tea, chocolate, snacks, and RTD beverages will seep into this category. "I see the fusion of ingredients that consumers may not be looking for or expect such as more CBD and cannabis. I haven't personally seen them in these products, but I am sure they are coming," says V. Sheree Williams, publisher of Cuisine Noir magazine. 3. Versatile, all-in-one products. "Many consumers are looking for products with multiple purposes so if they can have one product that fits their marinade, sauce, and condiment needs, they are sold," says Williams. 4. Values-based shopping. With much of the social action that has been occurring in the past year, people are voting with their dollars, whether it's supporting Black-owned or POC-owned businesses or companies with ethical or sustainable business practices. "In this crowded space, a good brand will tell a good story," says Jonathan Deutsch, professor of Culinary Arts and Science in the Department of Food and Hospitality Management at Drexel University. "BIPOC-, veteran-, woman-owned, B-corp, upcycled, employing people of diverse abilities, charitable, and more are not just the story of the business but the story of the brand and why it should be on your table." Mrs Bridges Traditional English Mustard

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