Americans want seasonal ingredients year-round
While Americans wait all year in anticipation for their favorite seasonal-inspired food and drinks, new research from Mintel reveals that nearly seven in 10 (67%) consumers enjoy being able to consume specific seasonal ingredients year-round.
While Americans wait all year in anticipation for their favorite seasonal-inspired food and drinks, new research from Mintel reveals that nearly seven in 10 (67%) consumers enjoy being able to consume specific seasonal ingredients year-round. Still, while Americans want the option of seasonal food and drink throughout the year, 78% consider seasonal dishes to be a treat and 42% say they are willing to pay more for a seasonal dish when dining out.
Three in four consumers agree that dining out is a great way to enjoy seasonal flavors, with 70% saying that they enjoy the seasonal menu offerings at restaurants. Looking beyond specific dishes, 60% of consumers agree that it’s enjoyable when the atmosphere of a restaurant conveys a specific season.
When thinking about seasonal foods, Americans are most likely to consider the flavors and ingredients to be fresh (45%). However, seasonal flavors also create an emotional connection with consumers, such as evoking notions of comforting (39%), special (39%), warmth (33%), and happy (30%). What’s more, 27% of Americans consider seasonal flavors to be nostalgic.
“As Americans associate seasonal flavors with being fresh, special, and nostalgic, it seems consumers are less likely to connect seasonal with mass-produced items, but rather items that conjure up an image of being homemade and remind them of personal memories,” said Diana Kelter, foodservice analyst at Mintel. “There is an opportunity for restaurants to leverage seasonal claims in more unique ways and build off of the seasonal experience through the presentation and description of their dishes.”
Mintel’s research reveals that 43% of American consumers prefer seeing seasonal ingredients featured in coffee drinks, rising to more than half (53%) of Millennials and 57% of iGeneration consumers (aged 10–22 in 2017). Tea is also becoming a more popular seasonal drink, with one third (34%) of consumers claiming they look for seasonal ingredients in tea.