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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Versatile Veggies: Plant-Forward Innovation Transforms Menus

Consumer shift toward vegetables leads to unforeseen menu items across product categories

Maeve Webster

November 12, 2019

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More consumers are changing their eating behaviors to include plant-based products and this is impacting new product innovation. And perhaps what's most interesting about this innovation is the broad and deep exploration into the versatility of vegetables.

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

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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.

Food, Beverage Menu Innovation Shifts to Embrace 'Instagrammability'

Food and beverage innovation has as much focus on visual appeal as on any other attribute

Maeve Webster

March 4, 2019

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Perhaps the most significant effect social media has had on the food industry involves the visual narrative around food and beverages.

How Will Gen Z Consumers Affect Food?

It's too early to say—but they are different than Millennials

Maeve Webster

November 5, 2018

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After a decade or more of focusing largely on the needs, preferences, and behaviors of Millennials, the food industry is ready to focus its attention on Gen Z.

Most Commonly Menued Terms Suggesting Authenticity

Manufacturers Explore Challenges of "Authentic" Food Tastes, Experiences

Traditional Tastes

Maeve Webster

July 20, 2018

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For the last several years, there's been a culinary shift and belief that food derived from foreign cultures should seek to be authentic or feature authentic elements.

This webinar will focus on a series of ingredients that can be used – today – in functional beverages that deliver hot benefits like cognitive support, joint health, muscle gain, recovery, weight loss and more.

In this webinar, we will cover how you can utilize small scale extrusion to rapidly create a unique high moisture meat analog product through changing extrusion conditions and blending different types of protein.