Breakfast appeal that transcends dayparts.
Breakfast is back, and it’s all about new flavours, new formats and convenience that meets the needs of today’s consumers. Many people are returning to their pre-pandemic schedules—which means on-the-go breakfast items like pastries, sandwiches and specialty beverages fit well into their morning routines.
Many foodservice operators are using unexpected techniques to set their offerings apart. Wood-fired eggs, focaccia toast and carrot “bacon” take popular breakfast themes in new directions. Bowls inspired by congee (Chinese rice porridge), nasi goreng (Indonesian fried rice) and other global dishes are expanding their footprint as well.
The majority of consumers surveyed across Europe and Africa agree that they want food that’s “easy to prepare” (Mintel, 2023). Retail offerings such as microwaveable egg bites, breakfast pies and individually packaged cereal bowls with powdered milk cater to this need. On the snacking side, items like yogurt parfait bars, sprouted seed energy bars and smoked cheese sticks showcase convenience front and center.
Consumption of breakfast items has grown in recent years. So, don’t hesitate to limit breakfast innovation to simply the morning daypart. Products and menu items that play up sweet-and-savory combos or deliver a taste of nostalgia can be winners all day long.
Segment Snapshot
QSR/FOODSERVICE:
Not only are operators showcasing regional flavours and dishes, but many are incorporating their own twists on international favorites. Specialty beverages are seen as essential components of breakfast menus.
PROTEIN PROCESSORS:
Protein is seen as a key nutrient for consumers’ first meal of the day, and the source can range from traditional meats to plant-based options. Regional cuisines are showing a strong influence on typical breakfast protein offerings.
SNACKING:
CPG brands are blurring the line between breakfast food and snacks. With consumers increasingly focused on meeting their needs in the moment, brands are working to fit their offerings into more flexible post-pandemic lifestyles through enhanced nutrition, fun flavours or a dose of nostalgia.
Create And Innovate – Breakfast Made Bold
Chefs John Feeney and David Sanderson are here to demonstrate their new take on breakfast, playing up contrasting textures and bold ingredients. Contact them if you want to know more on any of the below concepts or products!
French toast with a twist – Turkish Toast
Cinnamon Eggy brioche pan fried topped with a soft poached egg, tzatziki sauce and a dukkah sprinkle.
Products featured:
- Tzatziki Sauce
- Dukkah Sprinkle
Kedgeree
Kedgeree – Curried rice with smoked haddock and a soft poached egg.
Products featured:
- Curry Spice Seasoning
Devilled kidneys
Traditional breakfast, classic dish using lamb kidneys. This particular sauce with a picante, umami creamy finish works well on steak and can be adapted to be a vegetarian/ vegan interpretation.
Products inspired:
- Seasoned Flour-Breader
- (Vegan) “Picante” sauce or seasoning
Snack breakfast pillows
The classic full house/full Monty and the snackable (toastie) surplus bite or in between meal (fourth meal). Can be premade heated up in a toaster, air fryer or oven. Finish off with your favourite dipping sauce. Bubble & Squeak, made out of leftovers…
Products inspired
- Beetrot ketchup and Black Garlic Ketchup
- Bean & tomato breakfast seasoning
- Eggs & Bacon with tomato seasoning
Granola and Blueberry Cereal Bar
Packed with seeds, oats, coconut, honey, blueberries and butter glazed with a honey and blueberry glaze.
Products featured:
- Honey and Blueberry Glaze
Looking to enrich your breakfast offerings? – Take them to the next level!
Contact your Griffith Foods representative or the chefs to learn how these exciting, versatile products can enhance your breakfast and brunch options.
Chef Tip: “Serving up the perfect poached egg is a ‘must’ for a successful breakfast or brunch menu—but it doesn’t have to be an arduous task. Bring water and vinegar to a boil, stir and quickly crack the eggs into the swirling water. Once cooked, they can be placed in room-temperature water and sit for up to an hour before serving. A quick dip in boiling water will reheat them perfectly!”
–Chef Mark Serice, Vice President Global Culinary, Griffith Foods
Looking Forward: What’s next for the breakfast category?
BALANCED INDULGENCE:
Even though consumers want to start their day with nutritious choices, their allowance for indulgent snacks increases throughout the day. Consider how breakfast-inspired treats can satisfy customers outside the morning daypart.
PLANT-BASED POWER:
While animal proteins at breakfast are rooted in culture norms, many consumers will look to maximize their health benefits while minimizing their environmental impacts. That’s where plant-based options, including lab-based dairy products, will play a role in transforming global breakfasts.
SOCIAL SHARE:
Unlike other dayparts, opportunities to inject fun and excitement seem to be underutilized at breakfast. Foodservice operators should continue to push the boundaries of breakfast with items that are social media-worthy.
© 2023 Griffith Foods. All rights reserved.
Sources:
Amelia Lucas, “People returning to offices are still buying breakfast even as they cut back on other things,” CNBC, October 4, 2022.
“Americans Are Consuming More Breakfast Foods During the Pandemic,” Convenience Store News, March 18, 2021.
Danny Klein, “How Wendy’s is Navigating an Inflationary Puzzle,” QSR Magazine, August 11, 2022.
Marian Zboraj, “Scrambling to Meet Shoppers’ Preference for Specialty Eggs,” Progressive Grocer, July 25, 2022.
Mintel, 2023 FlavorIQ® Food and Flavor Outlook Report, January 2023.
Mordor Intelligence, “Global Breakfast Food Market (2022-2027), 2021.
National Restaurant Association, “What’s Hot 2023 Culinary Forecast,” November 2022.
Technomic, Industry Insights, October 3, 2022.
