Maeve Webster

Maeve Webster has been a foodservice industry consultant for more than 17 years, running hundreds of studies focused on trend analysis, opportunity assessment, new product concept development, and consumer behavior evaluation. In 2015, Webster founded an independent consultancy, Menu Matters, which helps foodservice professionals identify, evaluate, and leverage industry trends. Readers may contact her at menumattersnow@gmail.com.

Articles

ARTICLES

Fried Chicken with Sweet Red Chili Sauce
ON THE NATIONAL MENU

Sauces Add Flavorful Appeal for Restaurants and Retail Products Alike

Liquid Gold: Sauces, spreads, dips and marinades are some of the best categories to bridge the gap from comfort to innovation
Maeve Webster
June 30, 2021
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At retail, we have seen the sauce, spread, dip and marinade categories expand significantly during the past few years. Much of this expansion has been driven by the wide array of options entering our markets from other world cuisines.
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Taqueria Xochi Quesabirra
CULINARY CREATIONS: ON THE NATIONAL MENU

Independent Restaurants Drive Menu, Product Innovation

New efforts to continue into 2022 and beyond
Maeve Webster
February 18, 2021
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Independent restaurants have always been the true innovation and trend engine in foodservice. Compared to larger regional or national accounts, these smaller operators look forward because they have a smaller base of consumers they seek to inspire and satisfy.


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Post and Dunkin' Coffee Cereal

Comfort with a Twist

It's time to rethink and perhaps reshuffle the attributes that make products craveable
Maeve Webster
October 6, 2020
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The idea behind comfort with a twist—taking something incredibly familiar or commonplace and creating a new, unexpected experience with it—is a solid one. This is particularly true now as consumers have, for the most part, retrenched to comfortable items that require little thought and less challenge to make, source and enjoy.
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Woman Eating While Working From Home

Consumers Will Crave More Comfort and 'Control' with Food and Beverage Choices

Meeting the New Consumer: Making educated guesses related to how the current COVID-19 crisis will shift consumers' demands and needs
Maeve Webster
July 14, 2020
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It's difficult to say exactly what the new consumer will look like before the lockdowns nationwide are totally lifted. Even so, we can make at least two assumptions related to how the current crisis will shift consumers' demands and needs in regard to foods and beverages.
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Dish Seasoned with Berbere

Spice Blends Start to Star on Menus

Special Spices: American consumers are embracing the complex flavor profiles of international spice blends, while research chefs and food scientists are use them to develop innovative dishes
Maeve Webster
April 27, 2020
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Spice and herb use is nothing new in foodservice. These are the fundamental building blocks of flavor and are key in the identity of world and regional cuisines.
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Food and Beverage Industry Trends

Five Major Beverage Trends Gathering Steam

Menu Matters report offers insight into how and why the current climate will affect trends for 2020/21
Maeve Webster
March 30, 2020
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Political and economic unease, here and abroad, has been growing well before the onset of COVID-19.  What the spread of COVID-19 has caused, is an amplification and acceleration of the Tide that was already rolling in.  It's no less significant for its abruptness and shock value, but pandemics can have the effect of shaping and altering the trajectory of already identified trends. 
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Restaurant_0320_900

Trends Shaping the Food Industry in 2020/2021

What to expect during the immediacy of COVID-19 crisis and what long-term effects could shape the future of the industry
Maeve Webster
March 23, 2020
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As part of Culinary Tides’ ongoing work, we have been tracking the political and economic unease here and abroad, well before the onset of COVID-19.  What the spread of COVID-19 has caused, is an amplification and acceleration of the Tide that was already rolling in.
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Top Growing Alcoholic Beverages in Savory/ Sweet Food Applications

Changing Consumer Behavior Shifts Spirits from the Glass to the Menu

As alcohol consumption by the glass declines, alcohol is increasing as a flavor in savory and sweet items
Maeve Webster
June 5, 2019
No Comments
Despite the growth of consumers at or over the legal drinking age, the share of consumers drinking alcohol with any regularity is declining. Interestingly however, although alcohol consumption in the glass declines, alcohol is increasing as a flavor in savory and sweet items.
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