Foodservice Supply Predictions: Mobile Cuisine & Hot Meal Deliveries

2018 Foodservice Supply Predictions: Mobile Cuisine & Hot Meal Deliveries

Recently, I wrote about how millennials on college campuses dictate the trends for the entire foodservice supplies industry. Long gone are the days of the freshman 15 since today’s students are health-conscious consumers looking for fresh food that is sustainably sourced and customized to their specific dietary desires.

A prime example: on-demand meal services. This started 6-8 years ago when students who were about to graduate from college decided they wanted ‘cleaner’ meal items they could put together themselves delivered to their doorstep. Fast forward to today where it has been embraced by the oldest millennials who have small children and see it as a time-saving way to eat healthy. Based on what we’re seeing in today’s food supply cooperative purchasing tendencies within the education sector, I’m predicting the explosion of food trucks in the mainstream and hot meals delivered to your homes.

In my experience, trends in food service supplies hit college campuses about five years before the rest of the industry. In 2012, more and more food trucks popped up on campuses around the country, giving students an even easier way to satisfy their late-night food cravings and students struggling to find time to grab a meal between classes.

Fast forward to today where these food trucks can be found at any farmers market, busy downtown area or in our city of Rochester, New York, the ever popular food-truck rodeo. In 2018, I expect to see a lot more from this trend.

In addition, I think we will see today’s on-demand meal service evolve from delivering fresh ingredients to your door to bringing you an actual hot meal.

These predictions in food service supply trends is a natural progression from where we are now and some of the biggest companies in food service have already started it off. Wegmans now has it and Amazon recently bought Whole Foods who has begun the process in large cities. This will take the work from ‘prepped-to-cook’ off your plate to free you up to spend more time indulging in after-work activities.

So keep your eyes peeled for these upcoming trends in foodservice supply. I know I will!