Welcome to Issue 3 of Insightful Bites, our round-up of all the latest trends and insights in the world of food, drink, and marketing for you to get your teeth into.
Smokin’ new flavour
As an office of foodies, we’re always on the hunt for new flavours so were interested to read that ‘nearly burnt’ could be the next big flavour trend in snacks. According to US foodie publication Eater, there’s been a rash of new crisp and snack product launches with this flavour profile. Marcia Mogelonsky, director of insight at market research company Mintel, says burnt flavours are on the rise, riding the coattails of “barbecue” and other smoky flavours.
Food waste hots up
With the Environment Act set to come into force in 2023, tackling Food waste is now a pressing issue for hospitality businesses. Food waste currently costs the hospitality industry an estimated £3.2bn each year. A staggering 6.4 million tonnes of edible food is wasted in the UK every year, which would make the equivalent of over 15 billion meals – enough to feed the entire UK population 3 meals a day for 11 weeks.
Thankfully, there are initiatives like Food Loop, a B2B app connecting suppliers of surplus food and food waste with those needing food, which is currently being developed and trialled in Kent and Northamptonshire. Businesses, charities, and community initiatives can now register (free for the first 12 months) at www.foodloop.app to take part in the 12-month trial project.
Edible works of art
Wave goodbye to the plain old pain au raisin and the everyday almond croissant. If you want to be on trend on the gram with your pastries, then you’re going to need to up your pastry game. We’re talking edible works of art. In London top pastry chef, Cédric Grolet, has opened his new outpost at the Berkeley to rave reviews (Grace Dent in The Guardian) despite the price tag – the five course gouter menu is £90!
He’s not the only one, the bakery at Piccadilly restaurant Richoux is selling £4.50 cruffins— a mash-up of a muffin and a croissant and here in Kent, new venture Artisserie is upping the pastry ante in Tenterden, luring passers-by with edible works of art by highly acclaimed pastry chef, Chris Underwood. See our review on Taste Kent.
On Tik Tok? Why not?
From Instagrammable pastries to food discovery on Tik Tok. If you’re a Consumer-Packaged Brand, then The Grocer has launched a definitive guide to Tik Tok which is a must read for brands looking to engage on the platform and build a winning strategy. The platform is becoming the go-to for product discovery as consumers fragment and decrease in loyalty. 46% of users have bought a food brand they saw on Tik Tok.
Because the platform is all about authenticity and making it easy to see how products fit into your everyday life, consumers are hyper-engaged and have an appetite for brand discovery.
Little Moons famously blew up their brand of Mochi ice creams on Tik Tok and set themselves on the road to success.
Check out the @sharprelationsteam on Tik Tok.
LinkedIn launches trending topics newsletter
LinkedIn are looking to help businesses stay on top of trending topics and hashtags with a new monthly update. Highlighted in this month’s round-up were responses to the war in Ukraine and Women’s History Month.
Inside Sharp HQ…
We’re springing into April with a host of new clients and big plans for our new office and creative hub this Summer. Only three months into 2022, and we’ve already influenced millions of conscious consumers, with exciting client activations and launches for Lilk and Crave. And we’re at the forefront of reducing food waste in Kent helping to launch the Food Loop App… read all about it here.
