Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
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2 1 Restaurants, however, aren't the only game in town. Other areas of the foodservice category are ripe with opportunity for specialty food products. Travel and leisure industries, concessions, vending machines, and institutional dining halls are upping their offerings with more healthful, premium, and adventurous fare. Here is a synopsis of some of the latest trends across prominent segments, compiled from ongoing coverage in Specialty Food News, the daily e-newsletter serving the specialty food industry. To read more about each in depth, visit specialtyfood.com/foodservicetrends. Hospitality: Enhancing Niche Boutique Experiences with Local Products Small, luxury hotels are emphasizing specialty products as a way to bolster their venue's local character and provide guests with an outside-the-norm atmosphere. Options such as custom-branded coffees and takeaway snacks at checkout are becoming regular parts of the guest experience. "The entire idea of a boutique hotel is … being individual and different, or fulfilling some special niche," explained John Keeling, an adviser for the Boutique and Lifestyle Lodging Association and executive vice president of the Valencia Group, who manages hotels in California and Texas. "These foods reinforce that niche." Just a few examples around the country: • Staff at Four Sisters Inns, hotels throughout California, prepare pecan shortbread and chocolate meringues for guests at no cost. • The Lodge at Glendorn in Bradford, Pa., offers a take-home gift of fresh bread and a jar of honey supplied from on-site apiaries. • At Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tenn., in the Great Smoky Mountains, guests enjoy property-branded products like Blackberry Farm charcuterie and jams as part of the hotel experience. Still other hotels are retooling the minibar. The Enchantment Group, managers of five properties in Arizona and Virginia includ- ing Tides Inn and Enchantment Resort, have introduced local prod- ucts for in-room purchase. At the Enchantment Resort in Sedona, Ariz., the minibar offers Yavapai Trail Mix, along with Arizona wines and craft beers like Grand Canyon American Pilsner. At the Tides Inn in Irvingdale, Va., local wines and f lavored Virginia Cocktail brand peanuts are offered for in-room purchase through the minibar. Locally made ginger ale from Northern Neck is pro- vided as a turn-down amenity in the evening, and is further person- alized with a label bearing the Tides Inn brand and artwork. Travel and Leisure: Taking Culinary Adventure to the Skies and Seas Airlines, airports, and cruise lines cater to a staggering number of consumers, and offerings are becoming more competitive and more interesting. Technomic's data shows that travel and leisure foodser- vice is on the rise, and was worth $67.2 billion in 2014. After an era of belt-tightening and budget cuts, airlines are invest- ing in their foodservice programs again as they seek to appeal to food- savvy passengers willing to pay a premium for first-class food experi- ences and economy-class add-ons like artisanal snacks and sandwiches. "The intense pursuit of great-tasting food items, and their overall quality is continually being challenged by the chefs within the airline industry, and by their continued partnerships with celeb- rity chefs," said Leyla Wheelhouse, executive chef at Direct Food Service, Inc., a supplier of in-f light foods. Some noteworthy examples: Napa Valley chef Michael Chiarello has revamped Delta's Business Elite menus; Michelin- starred chef Régis Marcon created new dishes for Air France's busi- ness-class cabin; and celebrated Australian restaurateur Neil Perry's consulting group oversees meals for Qantas Airways. Additionally, many regionally focused menus serve the hub city's coffee brand or snack options from smaller artisanal brands to showcase the airlines' commitment to their corporate community. The biggest changes may be in the food available for sale in f light. As airlines move toward offering more foods for purchase, they are making those options increasingly appealing with premium snacks, boxed meals, and desserts. Cruise lines, once known for volume buffets, have ushered in a new era of dining with high-end fare and on-board locations of premium restaurants. Many lines are partnering with celebrity 116 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE specialtyfood.com