The Evolution of Dining: New venues, new experiences, and the future of fresh food Produce Blue Book – Produce Blue Book

Transformations in dining, both inside and outside the home, have been taking place since before the Covid pandemic began in 2020with online ordering, meal kits, pop-up restaurants, and ghost kitchens to name a few.

But, of course, the pandemic accelerated this evolution in a head-spinning way. Though Covid dealt a body blow to the foodservice industry, it also altered the ways we think about purchasing and consuming food.

Consumers are not only relying on food to boost health and immunity, but to reduce stress and provide a flavorful respite from the everyday.

And while industry safety practices may have altered foodservice forever (goodbye salad bars and condiments on tables), these facets have been replaced with a plethora of new experiences.

Dining Away from HomeAmericans love dining out, whether as a social activity or for convenience. According to a recent U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) report, since the 1970s, eating meals away from home has risen to about 50 percent of all food spending.

Of course, this all came to a screeching halt practically overnight in March 2020 with the closing of schools, colleges, bars, restaurants, hotels, sports venues, and theme parks.

Foodservice distributors initially experienced a sudden 50-percent drop in business, but fortunately were able to segue to higher retail sales.

This is an excerpt from the cover story of the July/August 2021 issue of Produce Blueprints Magazine. Click here to read the whole issue.

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The Evolution of Dining: New venues, new experiences, and the future of fresh food Produce Blue Book - Produce Blue Book