Eastern comfort food sees a dramatic flair for imaginative indulgence
Implications - Traditionally served as classic comfort food, dumplings and wontons are seeing a reimagining within Japanese and Korean cuisine, sparking the imaginations of consumers far and wide with completely revitalized formats. Immersed in tradition and culture, Eastern cuisine is increasingly incorporating sensorial engagement through innovative formats and unique positioning that lends an air of exiting freshness and forces the diner to rethink their expectations. This shift speaks to the globalization of emerging consumer inclinations towards experiences.
Workshop Question - What role does tradition have in your industry and how can you leverage that to set your brand apart?
Trend Themes
1. Reimagining Traditional Food - Traditional comfort foods, such as dumplings, are being reimagined to create unique and innovative formats that defy expectations, capitalizing on the trend of experience-driven consumption.
2. Unlikely Food and Drink Pairings - Consumers are becoming increasingly interested in unexpected pairings, such as champagne and gyoza, creating new experiences based on intriguing taste combinations.
3. Colorful and Instagrammable Food - Multi-colored and Instagrammable food, previously dominated by sweet treats, is making its way into savory foods such as steamed unicorn buns, providing a balance between taste and presentation.
Industry Implications
1. Food and Beverage - The food and beverage industry can take advantage of trends in reimagining traditional food, new food and drink pairings, and colorful, Instagrammable food by creating new products and experiences that cater to these consumer inclinations.
2. Hospitality - Restaurants, bars, and hotels can incorporate trends in reimagining traditional food, new food and drink pairings, and colorful, Instagrammable food to create unique and highly shareable experiences that set them apart from their competitors.
3. Consumer Goods - Consumer goods companies can capitalize on the trend of experience-driven consumption by creating new products that offer unique and unexpected pairings, or by reimagining classic comfort foods into unconventional formats that provide a sensorial experience for the consumer.
