Maryland-based consultancy shares high-level insights that will be analyzed and shared over the next six months
Trendystia MRC (Maryland Restaurant Consulting) released its most meaningful trends for Q4 2015. The Maryland-based consultancy offers services to restaurants nationwide related to menu management, menu development, customer engagement programs, and customized trend-vetting and trend monitoring services for single- and multi-unit restaurant companies. Its “Most Meaningful 2015 Foodservice Trends” download will launch a series of white papers beginning in September, offered for free download from its company content web page (Trendystia.com).
From a results- and data-driven perspective and approach, Trendystia MRC offers clients a full range of programs that apply insights into a fast-changing foodservice landscape. Its work with customer engagement utilizes an understanding of how food experiences are pivotal to marketing efforts, and is underpinned by collaborations with partner-marketing experts.
“These call-outs on top foodservice trends help restaurants leverage their internal resources and finalize their technology and strategy for Q4 and Q1,” says Rick Zambrano, Trendystia MRC president. “Restaurant operators and executives can arrive at very different decisions when they can access support and advice from a differentiated, innovative outside perspective.”
Six “Most Meaningful 2015 Foodservice Trends”
- Take your time with my meal – The craft & artisanal trend shows that consumers want foods that have been prepared with care, artisanship and with the goal of providing an excellent food & drink experience. This trend has further spurred aging, fermentation and barrel-aging to give foods more complex flavor and artful preparation. Diners look for handcrafted, and less processed and premade proteins, particularly in the center of the plate
- Culture of convenience impact on restaurateurs – Restaurants are being judged more critically on the experience they can provide guests. With more foodservice options in grocery stores, and through technologists, chef-prepared meal delivery services, mega-caterers, and subscription snack services, restaurants have to be at the top of their game to attract and retain customers. And customers are looking for restaurants to provide a comprehensive guest experience that stands above what they can get delivered to their door in just a few minutes
- Healthful, not healthy – Consumers want healthful, not necessarily healthy, determining what foods have healthy attributes that fit their own personal context, from low-fat and low-carb to gluten and non-GMO. Today’s dining decision reflect a backdrop of personalized, consumer dietary wants and needs that may not pivot on the amount of calories in a dish. Restaurants are continuing to review menu options and increase the availability of “healthful” food options
Additional detail on the remaining three (3) trends can be found on the company’s LinkedIn company, as well as a PDF download copy at https://www.linkedin.com/company/maryland-restaurant-consulting
- Artful beverage preparation
- Taking care of digestion and illness-mitigation
- Digital casual
Restaurateurs can stay on the pulse of trends and a fast-changing foodservice landscape
“With so much riding on menu and market strategies during the next two quarters and so much management compensation tied to restaurant performance during that period of time, the advice of a “tenth man” can be very meaningful while at the same time, financially rewarding for restaurateurs and restaurant executives,” adds Zambrano.
Trendystia MRC provides services in menu, marketing and strategic advisory, as well as direct- application programs to help restaurants succeed. The company was founded on the principle that “outside-the-box thinking can be utilized for inside-the-plate success.” Restaurateurs and restaurant company executives in operational, marketing, culinary, R&D and purchasing roles can set up a virtual meeting by contacting success@trendystiamrc.com. To download a PDF copy of “Trendystia MRC most meaningful trends,” visit and follow the firm’s LinkedIn company page here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/maryland-restaurant-consulting
Rick Zambrano, a D.C.-area native and 14-year veteran of the food industry, is the founder and president of Trendystia (Maryland Restaurant Consulting), based in Montgomery County, Md., just 15 miles north of the Washington, D.C. border. Having worked in the fast-casual segment of the restaurant industry in a high-visibility analytical role and further strengthened his knowledge capital through publishing, consulting and food-trend research, Zambrano is well equipped to serve a range of restaurant companies, from independents with $1 million in sales to top chain restaurants with operations exceeding $100 million. His own published articles, as well as his insights, commentary and posts, appear in major industry trade journals and blogs.
