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

Trust /Truth letter blocks
WHAT’S NEXT IN 2026

How to Be Real With Consumers in 2026

As trust erodes and digital noise grows, consumers want authenticity, meaningful experiences and brands that truly understand them
Maeve Webster Mike Kostyo
December 3, 2025

Consumers are entering 2026 feeling overwhelmed, skeptical and hungry for what’s real. This feature breaks down five ways brands can cut through the chaos and build authentic connection.


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Woman Inspecting Package Grocery
PREDICTIONS 2025

What Consumers Want in 2025: Bold Flavors, New Experiences, and a Human Touch

Menu Matters identifies five consumer needs driving tastes and trends in 2025
Maeve Webster Mike Kostyo
November 18, 2024

Looking to the year ahead, the overarching consumer need is that they want something new. They want fresh ideas, unique options that break through the noise, and innovations that are engaging and exciting – something that’s enough to wake them up from their “bed rotting” and “doom scrolling.” 


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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
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

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
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
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
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
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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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
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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