Trends in Canadian food service in 2022 include experimenting with butter: Technomic

Food-service industry recovery will continue in 2022 and Canada will be just three per cent shy of pre-pandemic sales levels, suggests a new report from Technomic. The research company predicts bakery and restaurant operators will need to focus on adapting strategies and finding innovative solutions as they navigate labour constraints, supply-chain challenges and shifting consumer behaviours.

The report, Canadian Trends: Looking Ahead to 2022, predicts limited-service restaurant and bakery sales are projected to rebound at a nominal growth rate of 7.3 per cent, and full-service restaurants, including bakery-cafés, are poised to grow sales by a nominal rate of 26.2 per cent in 2022.

It highlights investments into more compact models that support delivery and takeout and the growing attention being paid to butter as comfort food continues to trend:

“Flavoured butter will be grounds for endless culinary experimentation, ranging from umami-rich kombu or yeast butters to cocktails featuring herb-infused and browned butters. Beyond the classic dairy product, other buttery ingredients such as buttermilk, butterscotch and ghee/clarified butter will gain attention. Elevated versions and applications of nut butters will also continue to grow in conjunction with the plant-based trend, with pistachio and macadamia butters finding momentum, and peanut butter making headway in new directions, such as on burgers or in cocktails.”

Read the full report.