Macro Trend
What's Happening
People want food and drink to keep up with their re-found routines.
Post pandemic, life is speeding back up again, with the revival of the leisure industry and on-the-go habits. At the same time, living spaces continue to shrink, increasing the demand for smarter ways of cooking, and emerging AI technology is revolutionising both automation and personalisation, bringing convenient solutions to match people’s ‘need-it-now’ and ‘next-day-delivery’ mindsets.
51%
of consumers surveyed yearn for more innovative technology when it comes to kitchen appliances
Behavioural Trends
AI Cooking Curiosity
People are experimenting with how generative AI can aid in creative cooking.
In a post-pandemic world, the home has increasingly become a place for comfort and self-expression. When it comes to the kitchen, people are exploring the role that tech can play in increasing cooking efficiencies and creativity – from using generative AI to create recipes to buying AI-powered appliances that have already hit the market, such as smart air fryers and smart coffee makers.
Case Study
Hyper-personalised recipe generators
CookAIfood is a platform that allows people to create, share, and discover AI-generated recipes. Utilising AI, the platform enables users to input their favourite ingredients and receive a unique dish they can create at home.
Frictionless Food-To-Go
People are returning to seamless on-the-go eating.
Amid a transition back to busy schedules following an extended period of remote work, people’s demand for fast food is surging. People are prioritising convenience and quality, while food establishments respond by shifting from affordable hangouts to transient locations. While the pandemic gave rise to the expansion of food delivery options, in post-pandemic life, people are back on-the-go. As a result, people are looking for options that flexibly fit around their new schedules.
Case Study
Self-service bars hit sporting events
Self-service ‘e-bars’ serving pints in 30 seconds are beginning to be adopted in British events spaces such as football grounds, responding to people’s desires for reduced wait times and cashless payment systems, but not at the cost of a wide variety of drinks.
Snacking Rebellion
People are replacing mealtimes with snacking for comfort, freedom, and flexibility
The altered social structures and routines emerging in the wake of the pandemic have led to a decline of the three-meals-a-day trope. Snacking culture is on the rise, especially among young adults who look to treat themselves as a way to cope with stressors in the modern world.
Case Study
The #girldinner trend speaks to evolving eating norms
The popularity of ‘girl dinners’ (i.e. eating a mix of snackable foods for dinner instead of a meal) speaks to a cultural moment in which people want to treat their foods like playlists they can shuffle through without having to commit to any one flavour, texture, or origin.
Explore the new Innovation Pathways
Purposeful Lives
As people look to live with a more defined sense of purpose and meaning, businesses could help reinforce that sense of self through food and drink
