Rustic and Rural: British food trends 2024

Farm to table, in the context of eating out, relates to the ingredients used on menus coming directly from the farm in which they were produced, or carrying a description which describes the provenance of those ingredients, specific to a particular farm.

As consumers become more environmentally-conscious over time, we expect to see a growing demand for more farm-to-table stories on menus, and concepts built around this. Not only does it very often reduce the road-miles and carbon footprint of menu choices, it also helps support local farmers and communities – something that we’ve seen consumers focusing heavily on, particularly post-pandemic.

As consumers continue to make more mindful decisions when eating out of home – in terms of which venues they visit, and what they choose from menus when they do – we expect to see more interest in farm-to-fork concepts and stories on menus.

Consumers are eager to support local farmers and communities, as well as make more environmentally-friendly menu choices. And they often perceive locally-sourced food to be fresher and higher quality too. Wherever possible, it is therefore in the interest of eating out venues to highlight ingredients that have been sourced directly from local, regional or British farmers and producers on menus, making it clear to consumers where they have come from.

One in four UK adults consider the regional provenance of ingredients essential when they are making a menu choice in the out of home market*.

Examples include: Aberdeen Angus beef, Whitby scampi or Stilton cheese.

It is important to emphasise any regional products and ingredients on menus as this could provide an opportunity to upsell and increase the appeal of your menu in general. Aside from locally-produced ingredients, however, British ingredients have just as much, if not more, appeal. In fact, research Bidfood conducted in collaboration with CGA showed that half of UK adults would be willing to pay more for a dish which included ingredients with British provenance.

Consumers are looking for a range of different experiences and environments when eating out of home this year, however, venues and also dishes with a rustic or rural feel are set to be particularly popular. This is especially appealing to older consumers, as interest in these venues grows with age.

A similar pattern is seen with venues that have a vintage feel. More playful and stimulating environments such as those with fantasy or exotic themes tend to be more popular amongst younger consumers than older age groups.

62% of consumers consider the authenticity of a dish important to them when making a menu choice in the out of home market*. And 45% think that it is easy to determine whether a dish on a menu has been prepared authentically*. But what do consumers associate with authenticity, and how do they determine it?

When it comes to international dishes, the flavours are the most important factor – with 6 in 10 people focusing on flavour. Ingredients used, cooking styles and presentation are all also important factors. So, making ingredients and cooking styles visible, for example in menu descriptions, will be likely to help operators make their menu choices more appealing this year.

Including seasonal produce on menus can boost perceptions of freshness and quality, and this is particularly important at a time whereby consumers are scrutinising value in the out of home market. And of course, seasonal ingredients are an important consideration as consumers become more environmentally-conscious and look for menu options that are better for the planet. Moreover, seasonal flavours and ingredients are a great way to change up your menu slightly, and keep things new and exciting. For example, using seasonal fruits in popular desserts, or having a salad or dish of the month on your menu with seasonal veg as a hero ingredient.