300 South Riverside Plaza Suite 1200 Chicago, IL 60606 technomic

Menu InnovationUpdate Fall 2012

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300 South Riverside PlazaSuite 1200

Chicago, IL 60606www.technomic.com

In this issue…I. Starters

II. Main Dish

III. Dessert

IV. Beverage

V. Key Takeaways

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Menu InnovationUpdate

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Starter Highlights

Starters by the Numbers• Soups made up the highest percentage of new appetizers this fall, representing 20.2% of

offerings. Incidence of soup is up from the summer, which only captured 18.9% of new offerings.

• While chicken remained the most popular protein for appetizers (8), alternatives like duck (4) were increasingly featured as well.

• Salads saw the sharpest decline in share of new appetizers from summer (24.3%) to fall (6.4%).• Platters or other dishes advertised for sharing represented nearly one-tenth of appetizer

promotions.

Top Trends• Vegetable Soups• Cheeses Take a Starring Role• Salmon and Prawn Starters

Source: 29 U.K. chains promoting New or LTO appetizers from September – November 2012


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Trending Starters on Menus

Revolution Vodka Bars’ seasonal Pea & Crispy Ham Soup features pea soup with crispy Serrano ham, served with a bloomer wedge.

Burger King UK’s Snack Box: 20 Chilli Cheese Bites features 20 bite-size pieces of cheese with a spicy jalapeño kick.

The Living Room’s Beer-battered Tiger Prawns are served with a sweet chilli sauce and wasabi mayonnaise for dipping.

Source: 29 U.K. chains promoting New or LTO appetizers from September – November 2012


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Main Dish Highlights

Main Dish by the Numbers• Although breakfast remains a small portion of entrée offerings, it increased share this fall

(1.4% to 3.1%). Egg dishes are the most popular.• Burgers and sandwiches each represented about one-tenth of entrée offerings. Many burgers

featured premium proteins like chorizo, lamb and lobster.• Of the 30 sandwiches offered, chicken was the most popular protein (8). Bacon was also

commonly included (7), like on Pret A Manger’s Grilled Chicken, Bacon & Sun-Dried Tomato Baguette.

• Salad entrées represented 2.8% of fall offerings, decreasing from 11.1% this summer.

Top Trends• Asian Inspirations• Baked and Fried Breakfasts• Lobster

Source: 61 U.K. chains promoting New or LTO entrées from September – November 2012


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Trending Main Dishes on Menus

Giraffe’s Baked Eggs “Cocotte” is a new breakfast item added in October. The dish features two poached eggs, cheese sauce, mixed sautéed mushrooms and spinach for £4.25.

McDonald’s rolled out the Chicken & Chutney Indian sandwich as part of its Great Tastes of the World promotion. The sandwich comes with crispy chicken, shredded lettuce, onions, spiced onion chutney and a yoghurt and mint mayo on a toasted bun.

All Bar One, Balls Brothers and Browns Bar & Brasserie are some of the U.K. chains to highlight lobster for autumn. Selections range from lobster burgers and sliders to grilled lobster and lobster salad.

Source: 61 U.K. chains promoting New or LTO entrées from September – November 2012


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Dessert Highlights

Desserts by the Numbers• Desserts captured a bigger slice of fall offerings, increasing from 15.4% to 16.7%.• Overall, the most popular flavour was chocolate (14), followed by apple (11) and ginger (6).• 66.4% of desserts were baked goods. Of the baked goods menued, 16 of these items were

cake/cupcakes, six were pies, and five were cheesecakes.• Ice-cream dishes represented 21% of dessert items, where the top flavour was again

chocolate. Fruit flavours like apple, raspberry and berry also remained popular. • Pudding/gelatin mentions decreased in popularity since the summer, from 22.2% to 4.2%.

Top Trends• Less Common Fruits Shine in Sweets• Ginger• Creative Presentations

Source: 39 U.K. chains promoting New or LTO desserts from September – November 2012


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Trending Desserts on Menus

ASK ’s fall menu features this Torta di Pere dessert. The pear tart showcases poached pear halves on a base of frangipane (almond cream) on shortcrust pastry, served warm with vanilla gelato.

Greggs’ ginger treats include Ginger Cake and Gingerbread Cupcakes—spongy gingerbread-flavoured cupcakes topped with cream-cheese frosting and a mini gingerbread man.

Wimpy UK debuted the Eskimo Waffle dessert, an ice-cream sandwich made with warm waffles and topped with maple-flavoured syrup and whipped cream.

Source: 39 U.K. chains promoting New or LTO desserts from September – November 2012


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Beverage HighlightsBeverages by the Numbers

• Chocolate was the most popular non-alcohol beverage flavour, followed by apple and praline.• 11 lattes were offered this fall, compared to one during summer months when juices dominated beverage

offerings.• On the adult-beverage side of the menu, specialty drinks represented 57.1% of fall offerings. While fruit-

flavoured drinks like mojitos and margaritas remained popular through September, November menus predominantly featured warm drinks or winter-themed cocktails.

• Beer captured 28.6% of fall offerings, a decrease from 37.8% over the summer. Most were limited-time offers for craft beers.

Top Trends• Traditional Holiday Flavours• Juice Blends• Flavoured Hot Chocolates

Source: 21 U.K. chains promoting New or LTO beverages from September – November 2012


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Trending Beverages on Menus

Wagamama celebrated fall with the new Blueberry, Apple and Ginger Juice.

The Slug and Lettuce rolled out several cold weather-inspired adult beverages, including the BrrrANDY Alexander, featuring Martell Cognac and chocolate liqueur shaken with a blend of milk and cream, and Snowball Martini, made with Advocaat, Absolut Citron vodka, lemonade and lime juice.

Patisserie Valerie’s Winter menu offers Premium White Hot Chocolate made with chocolate and natural vanilla, and Premium Dark Hot Chocolate.

Source: 21 U.K. chains promoting New or LTO beverages from September – November 2012


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Key Takeaways

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