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.

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.

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.

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.

In partnership with Deerland’s Family First platform, a content series helping product marketers connect consumers with the science-supported health product solutions they seek, this webinar will provide you with the information needed to formulate and market products to address the unique needs of family-conscious, health-minded consumers in today’s complex landscape.

The challenge to food producers in meeting this demand is producing products that match the taste and appearance of the animal products they are replacing. Enzymes play a critical role in processing and formulating many of the foods we consume every day, and they can be utilized to enhance a number of aspects of plant-based foods, from flavor and texture—to aroma, appearance and more.