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food industry trends
Food is money, yet around 22 to 33 billion pounds of food waste is generated by U.S restaurants alone each year. The primary reasons behind these shocking figures are over-purchase and lack of adequate storage. Speaking statistically, food wastage is one of the main drivers of diminishing revenues and elevated food costs, which lead to restaurants eventually shutting down.
The added disposal and labor costs associated with food wastage are among the largest expenses for restaurants. However, they don’t have to be. With proper planning and efficient inventory management, you can reduce food wastage significantly.
Portion Control
It’s vital to keep a check on the portion size of the items you serve. This helps you reign in food costs and minimizes food wastage on the customer’s end. You can control size by using equipment such as ladles and scoops when preparing plates.
Another efficient way of keeping food costs in check is the standardization of recipes. A well-designed recipe management software can help you determine the precise ingredient amounts required for each dish.
Adequate Storage
Another major cause of food wastage in restaurants is inadequate storage. When raw materials aren’t stored properly, they go bad and have to be thrown out to prevent fresh food cross-contamination. Food items also need to be stored at the proper temperature.
Another factor that’s critical to efficient restaurant inventory management is keeping tabs on the shelf-life of perishables. Food items have a certain shelf life and shouldn’t be consumed after that. The FIFO (First-In-First-Out) approach, where raw materials that are purchased earlier are used first, can work great here.
Inventory Management Software
When it comes to minimizing food wastage, a robust food inventory management platform is a restaurant’s best friend. Integrated with a recipe management module, a well-designed inventory management software provides you advanced reports on when to purchase, what to purchase, and how much to purchase.
It can also be programmed to send you reminder alerts to purchase items when stocks reach a particular level. Not only does it prevent you from overstocking, but it also helps you avoid the embarrassment of certain menu items going out of stock.
SweetData Concepts offers custom inventory management software for food industry, labor scheduling platform, recipe structuring, and much more at reasonable rates! Contact us today for expert consulting services for your food and beverage business!
You can’t ignore industry trends if you wish to succeed in your business. For those in the food and industry, this means catering to the changing demands of consumers and adapting the safest and healthiest practices to continue providing food services that will be a hit among customers.
In the first blog of this two-part series, we discussed a few trends the food and beverage industry should expect to see next year. Here are some more trends you know about.
Keto Foods
The keto diet has seen a revival in the last few years. The high-fat and low-carb diet is seen as a quick and effective way to lose weight, which explains its growing popularity. The food and beverage industry cannot ignore this, considering the enormous market for keto foods and products.
In 2021, the keto market is expected to expand even more. Several restaurants are already offering special keto menus, and many food manufacturing companies have been producing keto-friendly products. Since keto foods mostly include widely available items, there’s a high chance of more restaurants and food chains getting on board this trend.
Global Cuisines
Gone are the days when consumers wanted “authentic” American flavors alone. Today, people want to try out new flavors and get a taste of what’s served beyond the US borders.
For the food and beverage industry, this means taking more creative liberty and introducing international foods and flavors. Americans particularly enjoy Chinese, Mexican, and Italian cuisines. Japanese, South Asian, and Middle Eastern food have gained popularity too in recent years, thanks in part to social media and the mouthwatering food pictures and vlogs consumers get to see online. 2021 is all about global cuisines.
Instagrammable Meals
Speaking of social media, there’s something to be said about “instagrammable meals.” The popular picture-sharing platform has led to a new trend of visually appealing foods and drinks deemed worthy of being photographed and posted online by consumers.
In recent years, this trend of instagrammable food has exploded. Every day, millions of people take out their phones to capture the perfect picture of their meal. The more visually attractive it is, the more they’re likely to post it on their Instagram account. For the food and beverage industry, especially restaurants, this is a great way to market their products online and attract more customers.
In 2021, it’s time to get creative with your food aesthetics. Add more colors and textures to your food to make it stand out. Make use of unique ingredients. Come up with crazy (but appetizing) food combinations. Instagrammable food isn’t something that’s dying out anytime soon.
SweetData Concepts can help you manage your restaurant successfully and keep up with industry trends with its food and beverage inventory management software. Reach out to us today for more details about our restaurant management platform.