Food delivery firm Deliveroo has revealed a list of food trends that it believes are going to be prevalent in 2020.
Veganism
Vegan orders with Deliveroo have increased 126% this year compared to last year's figures, while the number of sellers catering for vegans on the Deliveroo platform has grown by 168% in the past year, and the food delivery firm expects this growth to continue in 2020.
According to Deliveroo, while veganism isn't exactly new, there's a growing trend of people opting for "vegan-ish" diets. Deliveroo data indicates that many customers are frequently opting for a part-time vegan diet, with approximately half of their food consumption being meat and the other half being plant-based.
The most popular days for vegan orders with Deliveroo in Ireland are Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Grazing
Deliveroo has found that some of its customers have up to six different meal times per day, and are ordering mid-sized portions and snacks to stay fuelled throughout the day.
According to Deliveroo data, in the winter months, snacking increases by 168%, with Sunday being the day when Irish people snack the most, followed by Thursday.
On Fire
Over the past few months, Deliveroo has observed that the demand for dishes cooked on fire has been growing, driven by a surge in the number of Dublin restaurants using open fires in their cooking.
Street Food
Deliveroo has seen a 94% rise in orders of street food over the past twelve months, with Indian, Thai and Greek offerings being the most popular options.
Salad
Deliveroo data indicates that the food delivery firm's customers are three times more likely to order a salad at present than they were at this time last year.
Instagrammable
Deliveroo has noticed an upsurge in the trend of posting pictures of food on social media sites and apps.
No Or Low Alcohol
Deliveroo reports that in Q4 2019, there has been a steady increase in 0% alcoholic beverage orders.
Theatrics
According to Deliveroo, theatrical elements have been steadily on the rise when it comes to food over the past few years in an attempt to add a wow factor to every bite that people take, and the food delivery firm says that "gen Z", in particular, would rather spend €100 on an exciting evening at a show-stopping restaurant than buy an expensive item of clothing.
Deliveroo research shows that 74% of Irish customers find elements such as ambience and service to be just as important as the food when it comes to having a good experience in a restaurant, which the food delivery firm says means that, now more than ever, restaurants will be providing unique touches and visual experiences for diners.
From unusual ingredients to digital experiences, Deliveroo says that consumers can also expect to see some more theatre with their delivered dishes in 2020.
Balancing To Be Sustainable
According to Deliveroo, 2020 will be the year of balance. The food delivery firm believes that consumers are breaking habits, experimenting with new lifestyles and trying new food options in an attempt to live more happily, more responsibly and more sustainably.
For consumers in 2020, Deliveroo says that being sustainable requires balance - a balance of diet, replacing some meat dishes with plant-based food; a balance of health - consumers aren't avoiding burgers and pizzas,
but they are enjoying more salads or plant based alternatives; and a balance of finance, spending money more wisely so that there is no need to binge on pay day and then purge for the rest of the month.
© 2019 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.
