Bidvest Foodservice has launched a catalogue of 140 new-to-market, on-trend food and drink items as part of its 2017 Create Summer range.
The thinking behind the raft of new introductions is that items such as red velvet ice cream, vegetarian burgers and ‘monuts’ – a hybrid between a muffin and donut – will enable caterers across the country to create inventive summer menus that suit their audience.
Gail Bridgeman, campaign and studio controller at Bidvest Foodservice, says: “When designing and choosing dishes for our summer range, current food trends and innovations were front of mind.
“Consumers want to try new flavours, they are mindful of where their food has come from, and they are looking for experiences when it comes to eating out. Our new range reflects this thinking, and helps caterers design bespoke menus that are right for their clientele, as well as giving them the ability to attract new customers with on-trend, fresh, tasty dishes.”
The Bidvest range has been inspired by some of the key trends tipped to be prominent this year, including:
‘Better me’ – With 79% of consumers reportedly concerned about the impact of sugar in their diet, healthy eating and drinking is set to be a major trend this year. Tapping into this is the launch of Water Plus drinks, featuring honey-flavoured and standard birch water with added vitamins.
The rise of flexitarian dining – With over one-third of the population apparently choosing to eat less meat for health and wellbeing reasons, over half of the new 2017 summer range from Bidvest Foodservice is either gluten free, vegetarian or vegan. This range includes the Everyday Favourites Cajun Coated Crispy Fine Green Beans, and the Premium Selection Honey and Root Veg Burger, with the addition of health-boosting quinoa, coated in a black onion seed crumb.
Eat Britain – The idea of ‘backing British’ is growing in a post-Brexit world, Bidvest believes. This means more consumers are seeking out and supporting regional products, consolidating heritage, provenance, craft and skills. The launch of Bidvest Foodservice’s new Premium Selection Welsh Honey and Lavender Cake is aimed at meeting the demand for authentic, regionally-produced products, whilst also tapping into the trend for flavour innovation.
Grab & go – With over half of all consumers buying meals on-the-go, according to Bidvest, the demand for outlets to offer a takeaway option is high. Offering easy-to-eat dishes with innovative flavours and textures allows operators to also tap into the authentic street food trend and capture a part of this sizeable market.
The Bidvest Foodservice Create Summer range is available to order from the beginning of March.
Bidvest Foodservice has a 13,000-strong product range includes both own-brand and leading foodservice brands. It has 22 depots operating across the UK.
