Table of content
- Overview
- Omnichannel and convenience
- Hygiene Standards
- Contactless Solutions
- At Home Experiences
- Gourmet Street Food Brands
- Vegan and Healthy Food Brands
- Chef-driven Delivery Restaurants
- Cloud Kitchens
- Desire for Nutritionally Conscious Snacking
- Bespoke Desserts & Mithai
- The Rise of Artisanal Indian Coffee
- Growing Interest in Culinary Heritage
- Experience Culinary Culture
- Indian Spirits & the Celebrity Bartender
- Fermented Foods & Beverages
- Protein Has Become A Buzzword
- Conclusion
Overview
With more than 7.3 million employees, the food and beverage industry is India’s largest employer and makes up about 3% of its GDP. A quarter of all eateries may close by the end of 2020. According to some forecasts, the statewide shutdown sent this business into a tailspin. According to the National Restaurant Association of India, Indian restaurants business is expected to lose US$9 billion in 2020. (NRAI).
Since the lockout was lifted, the sector has made adjustments and developed new products to get over these challenges and reclaim profitability. The Indian restaurants industry is creating new service offerings and COVID hygiene procedures to promote consumer confidence and revenue.
Omnichannel and Convenience
According to a recent study by Kantar and the Internet and Mobile Association of India, the number of internet users in India tends to increase to 900 million by 2025 from the current 622 million. Although an expanding user base offers the e-retail business considerable promise, customers will also seek for offline time. This also holds true for the Indian restaurants industry, as customers will occasionally contact brands online and occasionally offline. Consumers that use many brand touch points demand a consistent, smooth, and personalized experience. This consumer is simultaneously looking for practical answers that fit his or her requirements, preferences, and circumstances.
It has become standard practice to offer customers a variety of ways to order, pay for, and receive their meals on time while ensuring a consistent and seamless experience across platforms. Whether it be contactless ordering using QR codes, digital menu cards, UPI payments, or digitally enabled take-outs. As technology advances, this trend may accelerate starting in 2022. For instance, self-ordering kiosks utilizing virtual reality or augmented reality could offer a compelling user experience by enabling customers to place their own orders, avoiding lengthy lines at the front counter. To improve the dining experience for customers, several players are experimenting with AI and robotics.
Hygiene Standards
The consumer’s concern about safety when ordering and dining in remains even when eateries gradually open their doors for business and operate during limited hours in some areas. The sanitary requirements of Indian restaurants on all major Indian food delivery platforms are now there explicitly in order to combat this attitude. Restaurants with high hygiene ratings performed 20% better than those with lower ratings, according to food aggregators. Additionally, India has recently experienced unheard-of growth in the fields of food safety and hygiene. In the Indian food business, maintaining proper temperatures, routine cleaning, wearing masks, and using safe packaging methods are now there in the standards.
Additionally, health and safety audit companies are being useful more frequently to uphold standards and foster consumer confidence. These audits are currently not mandatory in India. But the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has introduced a 48-point checklist on restaurant hygiene ratings that must be followed. It also has plans to establish stricter hygiene standards and safety auditing protocols in the future. Corriander Leaf is the restaurant that provides you with the most hygienic and pure food.
Contactless Solutions
We’ll deploy self-service kiosks and contactless technologies while also paying attention to security, safety, and health regulations. Currently, some of the most well-liked contactless options include robotic delivery, digital menus, and in-app ordering. Customers can self-check in and out, unlock rooms, and operate elevators using contactless biometrics and face recognition technology used in the hospitality sector.
The sector has invested in customer-centric technologies amid the pandemic’s slowdown to regain corporate momentum. The industry has prioritized contactless guest engagement to enable automatic conversational interaction between customers and service personnel. The hospitality sector tends to adopt touchless solutions based on AI and digital payment methods, changing current industry norms for the post-COVID age.
At Home Experiences
The customer’s willingness to choose in-dining experiences has been significantly impacted by the installation of physical distance measures and the risk of contracting COVID-19. The attendance at restaurants in urban and semi-urban areas remains low despite the adoption of all safety measures with a 50% decreased capacity. To attract consumers, an increasing number of food and beverage firms now provide pre-packaged or carefully designed “At Home” experiences. Since the pandemic, these experiences are becoming a common service offering within the industry.
Previously, this trend was being investigated by a small number of businesses as a specialized product. It is predicted that a sizable portion of the populace will choose this service even after the epidemic has ended in order to cope with the worry of a subsequent outbreak. The majority of hospitality companies offer private catering services with the choice of ingredient bundles for “cooking at home”. This will satisfy the need of customers wanting for luxurious, home-based culinary experiences.
Gourmet Street Food Brands
Indians are renowned for their love of street cuisine, which offers a huge selection of tastes and flavors at affordable costs. Since the outbreak, however, sanitation has been the main topic of worry, and since the re-opening, street food has rapidly fallen to being among the least popular options for eating out. Even once the epidemic is ended, this trend is expected to continue to have an impact on the sector. Gourmet street food businesses that can meet consumer expectations for flavor, hygienic practices, and ease of delivery are predicted to become more prevalent in the organized parts of the Indian restaurants industry.
Vegan and Healthy Food Brands
2019 saw a significant movement in consumer tastes toward vegan and organic cuisine. Many companies opened their doors in late 2019 and early 2020 with a focus on healthy, farm-to-table vegan and Indian food. But when COVID-19 sweeps the globe, many people will undoubtedly adopt this trend as their way of life in the years to come.
Given the increased number of coronavirus cases in the nation, an organic, vegan diet is gaining popularity due to its numerous health and immunity-boosting benefits. As a result, more “vegan only” restaurants and companies pushing plant-based products tend to enter the market. Given that the majority of Indians follow a vegan diet, most consumers are expected to adapt quickly and with relative ease.
Chef-driven Delivery Restaurants
The majority of fine dining establishments have switched their attention from in-eating experiences to delivery services. Long term, this will drastically change the market for delivery services in the nation. The food delivery industry will witness a new wave of business practices as a result of curating a better experience across all areas, from packing and customer-centric content to sanitation and safety.
Customers have always found it easier to relate to brands that have a unified narrative and are open about the staff and chefs who prepare their meals. During this transformation, transparency will be there, and chefs’ brand value will be helpful. You can also contact Corriander Leaf for a food delivery facility, if you want to just have good food at your home.
Cloud Kitchens
The majority of businesses in the QSR sector have started the transition to a cloud kitchen model. It offers significant infrastructure cost savings, as a result of the decline in consumer traffic. This strategy is supplemented by alliances with food aggregators that offer online ordering and delivery options, for the convenience of the customer. The main problem for business owners in this sector is that they must rely solely on food aggregator promotions to draw customers.
Desire for Nutritionally Conscious Snacking
More customers are turning to healthy snacking as a result of their busy lifestyles, restricted availability to dine-in restaurant options, and desire to satisfy their unique nutritional and taste preferences. The nutritional value of the snacks people eat is becoming more important to consumers. With consumers looking to maximize the nutritional value of each bite they take, the market for functional ingredient-based snacks will only increase. It will fuel the growth of the healthy snack category.
Bespoke Desserts & Mithai
One of the first industries to recover from the pandemic and experience significant development and innovation was the dessert industry. Due to the growing popularity of traditional cuisine, traditional desserts and mithais have also undergone extensive research. Indulgence with “no compromises” is also becoming more popular when it comes to the handcrafted, authentic ice cream trend. Locally produced, artisanal, and bean-to-bar chocolates will continue to thrive as long as they are motivated by responsible satiation. The market will rise to the occasion, and 2022 will deliver amazing selections of everything handmade, artisanal, and local. Corriander leaf offers the best quality sweets and desserts which are good for taste and health as well.
The Rise of Artisanal Indian Coffee
Backward integration was at least one step in the evolution of coffee culture. Consumers initially concentrated mainly on the finished product in the first wave or early phases. The second wave made baristas famous for their ability to create complex lattes and other beverages. In the third wave, home brewing was popular along with an intercession by roasters. And the fourth wave/current scenario foreshadows farm-level producers being more creative with their offerings.
Growing Interest in Culinary Heritage
Interest in food studies has dramatically increased in India. There is a strong desire to move beyond simply preparing and eating food for survival. Developing a hobby in cooking, finding new pride in one’s culinary identity, or advancing one’s job in the food industry. Culinary heritage documentation will experience a surge in popularity in the upcoming year due to curiosity.
Experience Culinary Culture
There has been a maddening yo-yoing between complete travel bans and increases in travel during times of relaxation over the past two years. Customers have been making lists of places to travel and delicacies to try when conditions get better. The travel and hospitality sectors are preparing to satisfy these demands. Food and beverage tours are a popular way for businesses to interact with customers and provide tourists a chance to taste as well as learn about the techniques used to prepare various local delicacies.
Indian Spirits & the Celebrity Bartender
Quality Spirits with Indian roots are expanding. Indigenous spirits are a component of this strategy. It is helpful for many people who are passionate and tenacious enough to make things happen. The reopening of pubs and bars has relieved both the sector and customers in equal measure. Consumers nearly in revenge went back to enjoying their preferred poison! Some people will yearn for the memory of having a cold one with buddies in 2022. The growth of the celebrity bartender is evidence of the amateurs who experimented with mixology at home. They have a greater appreciation for the knowledge and ability held by beverage professionals.
Fermented Foods & Beverages
We used to get inquiries like, “What is kombucha?” a few years ago. as well as “What are probiotics?” Today, a far broader range of topics are famous, like fermentation. People are utilizing it in their own unique ways. Restaurant chefs are experimenting with the science behind this antiquated technology and employing it in contemporary ways to address contemporary problems. All of this indicates that fermentation is developing and will only become more fascinating in the future.
Protein Has Become A Buzzword
This has recently been a popular subject in public discourse. Protein will no longer be the primary focus of those trying to gain muscular tone or body mass. Thanks to its relationship to immunity-boosting wellbeing and nutrition, but rather everyone who is concerned with overall wellness & health. In 2022, there will be a significant increase in demand for protein-rich meals. They are easy to prepare and flavor-adjustable, such as soy, nuts, seeds, and legumes.
India’s plant biodiversity is once again in the spotlight thanks to the growing popularity of plant-based proteins. It is reflecting on the diverse Indian culinary culture. The year 2022 will see a fundamental shift in how people view Indian food domestically and globally. India’s greatest natural resource is its diversity of plant life. It has led to a cuisine that emphasizes plants and makes creative use of this abundant supply. People are becoming more willing to experiment with plant-based options. People now feel paranoid since they always need to eat clean. Healthy meals while avoiding meat due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Conclusion
Future, present, and historical perspectives are helpful in analyzing current food trends. Every year, the report adjusts its focus to expand, spreading its influence across the Indian food industry’s several sectors. These are then organized and assessed in order to predict the patterns that will predominate in the upcoming year. It is crucial that we keep in touch with the sector and map all the new, ongoing, and pronounced trend curves.
The industry is about to undergo a revolution, one that will be largely digital. Health and safety regulations will be standardized, services will become more individualized and customer-focused. Operations will become less labor-intensive, and financial sheets will become leaner. All of these modifications will improve customer service and establish new benchmarks for the sector in the post-COVID era. Corriander Leaf will provide you every kind of facility – dining, banquet and other facilities.
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