November 2011/Prepared Foods -- Desserts are back in a big way. After tapering off at the height of the Great Recession--when consumers made concerted efforts to cut back on discretionary spending, particularly dining-out “extras”--dessert consumption is back on the rise. A Technomic survey conducted in late 2010 found consumers have increased their dessert intake over the past three years. Of the more than 1,500 consumers polled, 99% said they eat dessert at least occasionally. Of those who eat dessert, 70% eat it at least once a week. That is a significant increase from the 57% of consumers who said the same three years prior.
With desserts growing in popularity, the category is ripe for growth and innovation. Many operators are taking note. Restaurants across the industry are rolling out creative desserts to take advantage of consumers’ cravings for sweets. Yet, they are hardly taking the same, unified approach to enhance their dessert offerings. Instead, they are capitalizing on a number of distinct and simultaneous trends. Some of the dessert trends visible in 2011 carried over from 2010, but there are fresh and new examples to support them, with new brands getting in on the action. Technomic has also identified some new trends that have taken shape across the dessert category starting this year, proving the dessert segment continues to evolve, expand and entice.
Nostalgic, Comforting Ingredients Technomic research has consistently shown that when the economy is sour, consumers gravitate toward tried-and-true foods that satisfy and soothe. Until recently, the comfort foods trend was restricted mainly to center-of-the-plate offerings and appetizers, as evidenced by the spike in the number of restaurants adding meatloaf, chicken pot pie, pot roast, chicken-and-waffle dishes and the like to their menus over the last few years. As the trend proliferated, it was only a matter of time before comfort foods and ingredients crossed over into other menu categories and asserted themselves in new and unexpected ways. Enter desserts.
So far, in 2011, numerous restaurant brands have rolled out desserts incorporating nostalgic, comforting ingredients designed to call to mind the simple pleasures of days gone by. Some of the ingredients exemplifying this trend:
* Marshmallows--Marshmallows are complementing new desserts across the U.S. In Chicago, The Park Grill serves a Sweet Potato Chiffon with cayenne caramel and burnt whiskey marshmallow. National chain Bar Louie recently introduced its own spin on s’mores, Campfire Crunch, featuring crumbled graham crackers, chocolate pudding, chocolate sauce, marshmallow fluff and toasted marshmallows.
* Bacon--An unusual ingredient in desserts, bacon has been popping up on more menus. Earlier this year, national chain Good Times Burgers & Frozen Custard rolled out two new desserts, both featuring bacon. The chain’s Squealer Spoonbender is a blend of frozen custard, chocolate syrup, chocolate chips and bacon topped with whipped cream and more bits of bacon. The Junior Hog Sundae features frozen custard topped with hot fudge, whipped cream and bacon pieces.
* Waffles--Waffles have long had a place in the dessert category, as waffle cones for ice cream. However, lately the waffle itself--not the ice cream--has been taking center stage. Sweetwater Tavern offers a Warm Flourless Chocolate Waffle served with vanilla ice cream. And, independent concept Vie recently introduced a Brown Butter Waffle.