Despite the challenges faced over the last two years, new solutions are reshaping foodservice equipment in 2022 in line with the latest trends for restaurants, cafes, and hospitality.
This year, operators’ top priorities will focus on overcoming demand related to labor, and supply constraints, according to Bar and Restaurant forecasts. In addition to this, foodservice sites will need to respond to the growing consumer focus on health, well-being, and sustainability/CSR.
Finally, in 2022 foodservice equipment will need to be able to cater to increased demand for convenience and takeaway services. Let’s look ahead and see what’s in store for foodservice equipment in 2022.
Automation, Labour Saving & Flexible Foodservice Equipment
Undoubtedly, flexibility and automation have been on the rise in recent years, mainly to curb staff shortages and optimize restaurant and café operations. This trends will continue for foodservice equipment in 2022.
As mentioned in the Fesmag article, kitchens need to become smarter to cope with changes in the number of staff. Devices that help operators and staff deliver their beverages more consistently and efficiently will ultimately win out. Remember saving on time and labour ultimately means saving on operating costs. This is greatly important in a tight-margin industry such as foodservice.
Some examples of labour-saving equipment could be the Marco MIX, which dispenses hot water at three different temperatures and volumes. When placed next to an espresso machine at the POS, MIX allows baristas to make Americanos, tea, hot chocolate, soups and more. It can also be set for three different volumes, meaning the user can simply push a button and walk away to another task.
FRIIA is another flexible, multi-purpose and labour saving system. It can dispense hot, cold, and sparkling water from a single tap. Giving the foodservice site a whole range of beverage options from a single, sleek font.
Finally, for foodservice locations with a focus on excellent quality coffee, the Marco SP9 is a single-cup precision brewer that allows baristas to brew excellent, consistent filter coffee without the time and experience needed for a traditional pourover. This makes it possible to serve quality coffee consistently and take care of other activities such as serving other customers.
Health and Well-being in Foodservice Equipment in 2022
Consumers’ concern for their well-being is a trend that has increased dramatically over the past year. People seem increasingly concerned about consuming healthy products and boosting the immune system. According to the GWI research report, there has been a dramatic shift in consumer thinking. 2/3 of them are more aware of taking care of their physical/mental health.
Many brands have decided to include healthier beverage options in their offerings. This also makes room for the burgeoning tea market and room to be creative with your tea menu, as demand for alternative beverages has increased. In this case, it’s a good idea to consider FRIIA hands-free, which gives customers the chance to re-fill their water bottles in a totally touchless way.
Talking about global trends, according to Technomic’s report with the foodservice forecasts or 2022, breakfast is on the rise, desserts have gained functional ingredients and many other changes are emerging according to new consumer habits.
Efficient Ordering, Collection and Takeaway
If you are in any doubt that the number of people asking for good food on-to-go has increased in recent years, just look at the new data from consulting giant Deloitte, which surveyed 1,000 consumers who ate at a restaurant in the past three months for its latest “Restaurant of the Future Report.“
The report shows that the number of consumers who order food at least once a week is now 61 percent. The year before, that number was 29 percent, and two years ago, 18 percent.
Take-away is undergoing a significant change when it comes to foodservice equipment in 2022, in part due to limited operating capacity. Recently, convenience, digitalization, and security are the terms that come up in the surveys, which means brands need to revisit their business models. Like every area that expands, it is necessary to create new solutions.
As we noted in the QRMagazine article, restaurants revamp their takeaway and drive-thru models to maximize efficiency. For instance, some restaurants are already testing how it works by separating prepaid orders placed via mobile from traditional orders placed daily.
And just as in the early days of blockchain, three vectors have driven development as operators approach 2022. Thus, restaurants and cafés need to know that they must adapt to new trends among consumers who increasingly want flexibility in ordering or picking up their orders.
B-Corp and CSR
With the labour shortage, restaurants will need to rethink their culture, business model, and social responsibility to re-engage both their staff and customers. This will impact everything from packaging to compensation.
Mainly speaking about the coffee industry, sustainability and environmental sustainability have become more critical because of regulations and consumers increasingly looking for socially responsible companies.
As corporate social responsibility is essential, brands will show their consumers transparency. One way to do this is to tell about the certifications.
Additionally, Marco presents his commitment to his customers and partners through products that bring design and innovation to the industry, highlighting FRIIA, a single font that reduces single-use plastic saves space, and serves delicious, healthy drinks by delivering cold and sparkling water. With FRIIA, staff has a much easier time and flexibility to serve beverages.
We hope this list of trends helps you understand a little bit of what’s to come in Foodservice Equipment in 2022 with a positive outlook. Follow Marco on social media to stay up to date with Foodservice, Catering, and Coffee Shop news.